The Dragon KIng
by Rogue11
Summary: AU;  In a land of legends and dragons the recently crowned king meets a young boy who seems to be more powerful than your average Dragon Knight and decides to take him under his wings.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

A big Thank You to KT who is taking time out of her busy schedule to help me proofread this story.

Wishing everyone a Happy and Prosperous Year of the Dragon!

**恭喜發財**

* * *

><p><strong>The Dragon King<strong>

**Book 1- Of New Kings and New Friends**

**Chapter 1**

"You are late, what took you so long?" The tall, tawny-haired man sitting by the fire, looked up as a second man, slightly younger looking and clad in the gray and blue garb of Galados' royal guard, stepped into the clearing.

"Your Highness, I really wish you would stop doing this," the newcomer complained as he dropped the saddle he was carrying onto the soft forest floor.

Treize raised one eyebrow while he held his hands up to the flickering flames. "Do what?" he asked in the most innocent voice he could muster.

The other man, tall slender and with long silvery tresses, stopped by the fire. His handsome face a mask of perfect calm, he replied: "Running off like this and leaving your escort behind; playing hide and seek with me in the forest… How am I supposed to protect you if you don't let me do my job?"

"If I don't get a chance to ride Epyon like that, every once in a while, both of us will become rusty," the king replied. "Besides, my dear Milliardo, we are in the heart of Galados, not to mention less than a few miles from the Dragon Shrine. I very much doubt that any enemy would be so bold as to try to attack me here."

The younger man's fists clenched for a brief moment. "And I wish you would stop calling me that, Your Highness. I left that name and everything connected to it behind when I joined your forces."

"I apologize," Treize respectfully inclined his head. "Old habits die slow I suppose. Now about playing 'hide and seek' with you as you put it… I knew that if anyone could keep up with me it would be you. After all, you are known as the fastest rider in the kingdom; that's one of the reasons why I appointed you my personal guard. You see, I have great confidence in your abilities. But I do wish you would feel the same about me. I was not born the day before I was crowned, you know. I went through the ranks and served in the royal guard just as you did, Zechs. And I still know how to use my sword to protect myself if need be."

Zechs' expression never changed even as he dropped his gaze. "I stand corrected, Your Highness."

"Zechs!" The tawny-haired man sighed. "I wasn't reprimanding you. Now sit down by the fire. And stop being so damn formal when we are alone." As much as he hated it he knew it was necessary to keep a certain degree of formality and propriety in public. But he wished that Zechs would try to relax a little as long as they were in private. _I need you as my friend as much as I need you as my bodyguard_.

Without another word Zechs settled down across the fire, and the king reclined in the grass. Propped onto his elbows he raised his head, looking up into the slowly darkening pre-dusk sky. Little white clouds drifted past lazily and the first streaks of crimson signaled the approaching sunset. "This brings back memories." Treize sighed again, but never clarified what kind of memories he was referring to as he watched the clouds.

"We should probably leave soon," his bodyguard suggested after a long moment of silence.

"Why? This is a perfect place to spend the night. We have a fire and water is nearby." Sitting back up he pointed toward a small clear lake just at the edge of the clearing.

"You are not suggesting that you want to spend the night out here, are you? The shrine is within walking distance, we can get there in no time."

"They don't expect us to arrive before tomorrow. It would be rude to show up early and without any warning."

"But…"

"No buts!" the king declared firmly. "The escort should catch up with us some time around mid-day tomorrow. We will join them then and head to the shrine together."

"What about supper? Neither you nor I have brought any food along." Zechs pointed out.

"Speak for yourself." Treize gestured at a dark bundle beneath the trees near his own saddle and gear. "Roasted venison sounds like a decent enough meal to me. And since I am already providing the meat and the fire," he added, his voice laced with humor. "I think it's only fair enough for you to prepare it."

The blonde almost snorted. He pushed himself up, rose to his feet and closed the distance to the slain deer in a few long strides. _I don't believe it. I could barely catch up with him and he still found the time to go hunting?_ he mused in a mixture of amusement and annoyance, as he raised the animal's head by its antlers.

"It's not the most impressive one I have ever shot," Treize admitted with a shrug. "But I couldn't deny Epyon his share. Of course, he picked the larger one."

"It will do." Zechs replied as he dropped the deer and pulled off his riding gloves before reaching for his dagger. "If I didn't know any better I'd think you don't know how to skin a deer."

But of course, he DID know better. After all, it had been Treize, a young and dashing Dragon squire back then, who had taken him on his first hunt. He still remembered that day. After what seemed like an eternity of tracking, they had spotted a large stag grazing at the edge of a grain field. His hands were shaking so badly when he pulled his bow that his arrow missed its target, wounding the animal gravely but not killing it. The bleeding stag cried out and took a few leaps before Treize's own arrow finally found it and mercifully put it out of its misery. When Treize later showed him how to skin and cut up their kill, the smell of blood had nearly made him sick.

_Things sure have changed since then, _he thought with a tinge of bitterness._ Now my hands are stained with more than just deer blood._

"What's wrong?" The sudden change in his bodyguard's expression didn't escape Treize.

"Nothing, I was just..." Shaking his head Zechs swallowed the rest of the sentence as he made a long but shallow cut down the deer's belly. "It's nothing."

The king watched wordlessly as the younger man prepared the meat and finally hung it over the crackling fire before settling down across it.

"Tomorrow, before we move on to the shrine. I want to head up to Mount Haku." Briefly Treize gazed at the mountain range in the distance. Its highest peak, Mount Haku, was tall enough to breach the clouds. He then turned his head and looked at his personal body guard. "You still owe us a rematch. The last time we battled you knocked me out of the saddle. Now you'll have to prove that it was more than just a fluke. But I warn you…" A tiny smirk crossed the king's lips. "Both Epyon and I are sore losers; we won't make it easy for you."

"Your Highness?"

###

In the forest the night ends early. Zechs was woken by the cheerful tweeting of the first songbirds when the sun was only beginning to rise. The sky was still grey but a wash of golden light was slowly spreading from the east, bathing the snow-covered peak of Mount Haku in a brilliant light.

The young man pushed away his blanket, shivering as the cool morning air hit him. Beside him Treize gave a grumbling sound and pulled his own covers over his head.

The fire was still smoldering and easily relit. Once it was burning Zechs fastened his sword belt and made his way down to the lake for a drink of water. Across the lake a small family of deer was grazing at the soft growth by the water's edge. One of the animals, a large buck of impressive statue and with an even more impressive set up antlers, looked up, eying him cautiously for a moment. Then, deciding that the young man presented no danger to him and his females, he went back to his meal.

Zechs went down on his knees. He cupped his hands into the crisp clear water, quenching his thirst before splashing some of it into his face. The chill drove the last traces of sleepiness from his bones, and the young man stretched leisurely as he rose to his feet. Looking up into the sky he decided to take a walk around the lake. Knowing Treize, he wasn't going to rise anytime soon.

And sure enough, by the time he returned, the king was only just starting to stir.

"Is there food to be had?" he asked with a yawn as he finally pushed away his heavy blanket and pulled his cloak tight around his shoulders.

"We have meat leftover from last night," Zechs told him. "And I found this."

"Thanks," Treize nodded thankfully as he accepted a handful of aromatic greens. Back at the palace he would use an infusion of various herbs to freshen his breath, but here in the woods wild mint would just have to do. "How did you sleep?"

"Quite well." The blonde threw a few more dry branches into the fire. In spite of his fussing about the dangers of spending the night in the woods he had actually felt rather relaxed. Perhaps it was the close proximity to the Dragon Shrine; he remembered being always very much at ease during the years he had spent there.

#####

From the window in his small room on the top floor of the dormitory Wufei watched the hustle and bustle below. For days now the Dragon Shrine resembled a giant anthill. The pupils, the instructors and even the headmistress herself; everybody was busy preparing for the king's visit. Everybody but Wufei that was… No matter where the boy went or what he did, he always seemed to be in someone's way. In fact, he could not even count how many times he had been told to go and play somewhere else in these past few days. _I might as well not be here at all._

Sitting on the windowsill, with one knee pulled up against his chest and the other leg dangling, Wufei watched for a little longer before slipping off the ledge and settling down again at the small desk beneath the window. His room was really no more than a small chamber located directly under the roof and barely large enough to hold more than a bed, a nightstand, his writing desk and two chests for his clothes and personal belongings. But the boy wasn't complaining.

For almost two years now this place had been his home. He would be lying if he said that he didn't still miss his village and his family every now and then, but living here wasn't really that bad. Wufei was the youngest pupil at the Shrine; all the other trainees were in their mid to late teens, while he wasn't even going to turn nine until later in the summer. Even though, or maybe because of it, he often got away with things the older pupils didn't. He was well aware that a few of them resented him because of the 'special treatment' he received, but all in all, most of the people here liked him…and vice versa.

Wufei picked up his pen and dipped it into the little inkwell to his right. Strictly speaking the boy was still too young to officially be a trainee at the shrine. So while the older pupils were trained in horsemanship, swordplay and military tactics his own studies consisted mostly of writing, reading and arithmetic. Every other day though he received special lessons in swordsmanship from one of the instructors who believed that it was never too early to learn defending oneself. Wufei's favorite subjects were those involving stories and myths, like today's lesson. Headmistress Une was making him copy a scroll about the five ancient main gods. He could not think of anything with more stories and legends to tell about than the gods.

Checking his paper to see where he had left off, the boy continued his writing slowly and carefully. According to the scroll, at the beginning of time the five gods had created this world... from what exactly, Wufei wasn't sure. In return the people built shrines and temples for them, where they could pray and make offerings. It was also said that in the past the gods would occasionally come down from their palaces high above the sky to mingle with their mortal 'children'. It must have been a very long time ago, because Wufei hadn't met anyone who claimed to have run into a god.

The people also dedicated seasons and holidays to their favorite gods. Spring, the season of re-birth and growth, for example was the season of Elitha, the ancient bringer of new life. Wufei still remembered how his parents would dress in their best garments on the day of the blossom festival and take him to Elitha's shrine, where they would meet other farmers seeking blessings for their crops and asking for fertile livestock. Often you could also find young couples at the shrine praying for a child. What he remembered most though, were the festivities following the prayers, music and dancing and food until late into the night.

During summer the people would pray to the hot-tempered god Hesos who rules over the sky and is as unpredictable as the weather he controls. Known as the bringer of light his symbol, the golden sun, could be found adoring his temple walls. The village where Wufei used to live was often hit by heavy thunderstorms during the heat of summer. When flashes of lightning crisscrossed the sky and thunder rumbled through the nearby mountains like a furious roar, his mother would light a candle and mumble something about Hesos having been angered.

The boy put down his pen to shake his aching hand, and as his gaze fell upon the inkwell he realized it was almost empty. _I'll have to get more,_ he thought with a sigh._ But not now. _Lady Une wasn't expecting him to turn in his assignment until after the king's visit, which gave him almost three whole days to finish it.

Closing the inkwell carefully Wufei tried to decide what he should do next. Finally he slipped from his chair and headed for a small wooden chest in the corner

Kneeling down in front of the chest he flipped the heavy top open and started to rummage through it until he found what he was looking for; a book, but not just any book. It was the legend of the first dragon knight, his favorite story. He had read it so many times that he knew it almost by heart. Wufei closed the chest, left his room and climbed down the long winding staircase. As usual the dormitory lay empty at this time of the morning. He then crossed the yard and the training grounds where several of the oldest pupils were sparring.

"Wufei?"

"Instructor Noin?" the boy turned and greeted the young woman with a respectful bow.

Noin was the youngest instructor at the shrine and one of only three female staff members. Wufei had heard that she had come to Galados as a refugee, from a kingdom named Sanq which had been destroyed in a war.

"Where are you going?"

"Just taking a walk," he told her.

"Alright." She smiled as she reached out to ruffle his hair. "But try not to get into any trouble, or Lady Une is going to scold you again."

"I won't." Wufei promised. Of course her idea of 'getting into trouble' and his might have differed a bit.

The Dragon Shrine, which originally had been built as a place to worship the dragon god Shenlong, was surrounded by tall walls. The only gate was always closed and guarded. Trainees were not allowed to leave the shrine without permission, but Wufei had learned long ago that there was more than one way to catch a dragonfly.

In the far southern corner of the grounds, behind the stables, the walls were covered with green ivy and other climbing plants. For someone small and lithe as him those vines were just as useful as a ladder. His book tucked securely into the waistband of his pants, Wufei climbed over the wall with the experience of someone who had done it many times before.

It was a long way through the woods to Blue Fir Lake, but Wufei didn't mind the walk, because it was his favorite place. Its peaceful tranquility reminded him somehow of home. He could sit there for hours and read or watch the birds. Sometimes, when he got lucky, he could even see a deer or two come down to drink or bathe in the lake's clear water.

####

Treize threw more dirt onto the already dying fire to bury the last embers, as he waited for Zechs' return. The young man had left shortly after their breakfast. He had insisted on first flying to Mount Haku on his own and making sure it was safe for the king to follow.

With a somewhat amused huff the tawny-haired man rose to his feet. _Sometimes he acts more like an overprotective mother hen than a bodyguard. But he is still young. He will learn and start to relax…eventually. Huh?_

Treize frowned as he noticed something…no someone by the lake. A boy, probably no more than eight or nine years of age, was sitting in the shade of a large tree near the water's edge. _A child, out here?_ As far as he knew the nearest village was more than a day's ride away.

Approaching slowly so as not to startle the boy, Treize wondered how he could have got here.

"Hey, kid," he called out as he was close enough for a conversation. "What are you doing here, all by yourself?"

The boy, who had been reading from an old well-worn book, looked up at him somewhat startled. He seemed surprised to see the stranger. "Who are you?"

Treize smiled softly as he crouched down. "I believe I asked a question first. Do you have a name?"

Wufei closed his book as he studied the man. He was wearing white riding pants and knee-high leather boots, an elegant blue tunic over his white shirt, knee and forearm armor and a bluish grey cloak that was held together by a golden pin. The cloak pin was decorated with sparkling blue gems that matched the color of his eyes. His outfit and the sword he was carrying indicated that he was not a commoner. "I'm Wufei. Chang Wufei," he finally answered. "And you?"

"I'm pleased to meet you, Chang Wufei." The man inclined his head in a polite greeting. "You can call me Treize."

Wufei bowed respectfully and seriously. "Thank you."

_He seems bright and very well-mannered for someone his age,_ Treize thought. "Now tell me, Wufei. What are you doing here? Are you lost?"

"No, why? I have been here many times before," the boy answered. "And I came from the Dragon Shrine."

"The Dragon Shrine?" Treize raised one eyebrow in surprise as he looked Wufei up and down. The boy was wearing an outfit similar to the uniforms worn at the shrine; a pair of black silk pants and a robe over a white shirt. However, his robe was black instead of the purple or red usually worn by the pupils and instructors. Furthermore, he had never heard of anyone being admitted to the school at such a young age. "You are one of the trainees there?"

"No, not exactly." Wufei shook his head. "I just live there."

"Oh, I see." Assuming that he was the son of one of the instructors, the king nodded. "But do your parents know where you are?"

The boy dropped his gaze. His jaws tightened for a brief moment and Treize instantly knew he had asked a question he should not have asked.

"My parents are dead," Wufei pressed through his teeth. "That's **why** I am living at the shrine."

"I…I'm sorry…"

"But no, I didn't tell anyone where I was going. Everybody is busy preparing for the king's visit. They are so excided I doubt they'll even notice that I'm gone."

"Is that so? What about you; are you excited too? …to see the king, I mean."

The boy's brows furrowed as he looked up again. "Excited?" he asked. "Why would I be? I don't even like the king."

Treize blinked. "And why is that?"

"Because."

"Because?" The king tilted his head slightly as he looked at the boy. "That's not really an answer, now is it?"

Before Wufei could make any reply, a noise from above drew their attention. He gazed up into the sky and his jaw almost dropped when he saw a large dragon approach the clearing. As the creature circled a couple of times above their heads he noticed a rider, a slender young man with long silver hear, dressed in a gray and blue uniform that looked similar to the outfit the man named Treize was wearing. The dragon touched down only a few feet away, and the boy had to brace himself against the strong wind created by its powerful wings.

The longhaired dragon rider slipped out of the saddle and landed gracefully next to the animal. He reached up to pat the dragon's muscular neck with his gloved hand then turned toward Treize and the boy. "Your H…"

Treize raised his hand interrupting him almost instantly. "Zechs, please come here, I'd like you to meet someone." He waited for the younger man to come closer before he continued. "Zechs, this is Wufei. Wufei, meet Zechs Merquise, my personal guard."

Wufei's eyes were still glued to the dragon that was resting now with its wings tucked tightly against its earth-colored body. "You are Dragon Knights?"

"Yes, in a way." Treize nodded.

The boy finally ripped his eyes away from the dragon and looked up at Zechs. "May I pet him?"

"Only if you don't mind loosing a finger or two," the fair-haired man replied nonchalantly.

Wufei's brows furrowed. _I don't like him._

"Now, now Zechs." Treize intervened with a smile. "There are nicer ways to say that, you know."

"It's the truth," Zechs insisted. "And sugarcoating it won't change anything."

The king sighed as he once again crouched down in front of Wufei. "You will have to forgive him. He might come across as cold and unfriendly, but his bark is much worse than his bite." He reached out and laid his hand onto the boy's shoulder. "He is right though, dragons are very loyal and protective creatures. Once they have bonded with their master they won't obey another person ever, and they don't like to be touched by just anyone."

Wufei nodded understandingly. _I know, Nataku is the same. _"Do you have a dragon, too?"

"In fact I do," Treize confirmed as he rose. He extended his right hand and closed his eyes. His lips moved silently as he performed the summoning spell. A strong wind picked up then the ground started to vibrate and glow as the circular portal began to form.

Wufei raised his arm to protect his face from the dust and the wind. Surrounded by a cloud of white haze, the form of a dragon rose from the portal. When the haze finally lifted the wind died down as suddenly as it had started. The large dragon roared and flapped its wings a couple of times as though it was testing them.

"Wufei," Treize announced, "please meet Epyon." He raised his hand and gestured for the dragon to come closer. "Epyon," he spoke softly. "This is Wufei. He is a friend; be nice to him."

Epyon took a few cautious steps. Large golden eyes studied the young boy thoroughly; then the dragon dipped his head. His nostrils, almost as large as the boy's head, flared as he sniffed his face.

Wufei swallowed. He had to force himself not to recoil when the dragon's nose touched his face.

"You can touch him if you want."

"But…you said…"

"It's alright," Treize assured him. "A dragon that complete trusts his master will obey any command given."

Wufei reached out slowly. Epyon was huge, about the same size as the other dragon. His skin was lighter, almost cinnamon colored, except for the scales along his spine which were deep brown and shiny. His horns were long and pointy like sharp daggers, and the top of his head and neck was covered in long dark hair, almost like a horse's mane. His long powerful tail ended in a tassel of the same color, and the thin beard hanging from his chin reminded Wufei for some reason of an old man's goatee.

The boy let his fingers run through the silky hair. "He is beautiful."

"Isn't he?" the king agreed with a proud smile.

In the background Zechs cleared his throat. "If we still want to head up to Mount Haku we will have to leave soon, y…"

"You are absolutely right." Treize once again interrupted him before he could finish his sentence. Then the tawny-haired man looked down at Wufei. "Would you like to join us?"

"Mount Haku? You are going to battle?"

"Indeed." The king nodded. "If you want you can watch us. We will drop you off at the shrine on our way back."

"Truly?" The boy's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Truly!"

Zechs opened his mouth to object, but the king silenced him by raising his hand.

"Can I bring Nataku along?"

_Nataku?_ Treize frowned slightly. "Who is Nataku; a friend?"

"My dragon," Wufei explained. And without even waiting for an answer he closed his eyes and put his hands together.

Treize and Zechs exchanged a long look and watched in silent amazement as the boy summoned a dragon as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Although it was still a juvenile, barely a head or so taller than its master when it was sitting next to him, it was still absolutely amazing. It was unheard of that a child this young was able to successfully perform a summoning.

The king blinked then cleared his throat. "So, this is Nataku?"

Wufei nodded while Nataku eyed the two men and their fully grown dragons curiously. She made a quiet chirping sound, looked up at her master and then rubbed her head against his shoulder as though she was begging to be petted.

Treize couldn't help but smile. "Wufei, if you don't mind me asking; how old are you?"

"Almost nine summers."

"And how and when did you and Nataku…meet?"

"Umm… I found her in the woods, two summers ago, shortly after…" Wufei shook his head. "…shortly before the soldiers found me and took me to the dragon shrine."

Treize was almost certain that the boy originally had meant to say something else, but he didn't push the issue. "I see. Well, she looks still a little too small to carry you, so why don't you ride with me," he suggested.

Wufei nodded. "She really is small, isn't she?" He sighed. "And she hasn't grown at all since I met her."

"It just seems that way to you." Zechs remarked.

"Huh?" The boy looked at him puzzled.

"Since you are still growing yourself you might not have noticed her getting bigger," the fair-haired man explained. "You see, dragons live a very long time and they grow very slowly. It takes about fifty years before they are fully matured."

"Truly?"

"Yes. Nataku has probably still another few decades to go before she is fully grown, but I guess you should be able to start riding her in another seven to eight years."

"You mean she will be as big as your dragon some day?"

"Most likely she will grow even larger than Leo. Adult females are known to be bigger than male dragons."

"Wow, you know a lot about dragons." Wufei was impressed.

The young man just shrugged the compliment off. "A dragon knight needs to know everything there is about his partner."

"Alright," Treize had retrieved his saddle from their campsite and stepped toward Epyon. "Shall we leave?"

* * *

><p>T.B.C.<p>

Author's Note: This is a re-post of Dragon King with newly added details to the plot. I am currently going over the already written chapters, changing and adding things that I feel I left out in the first version.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

A big Thank You to KT who is taking time out of her busy schedule to help me proofread this story.

* * *

><p><strong>The Dragon King<strong>

**Book 1- Of New Kings and New Friends**

**Chapter 2**

Holding on to the saddle so tightly that the knuckles of his hands turned white, Wufei swallowed nervously as Epyon fanned out his wings and lifted into the air. The great dragon soared higher and higher; the additional weight not seeming to bother him in the slightest.

Wide-eyed the boy watched as the forest beneath them grew smaller and smaller with each flap of those large, membranous wings. Eventually he could not make out individual trees anymore; everything had blurred together into one large green mass. Within the sea of green, the Dragon Shrine looked as small as an anthill.

The tawny-haired dragon knight smiled softly as he looked down at the boy sitting in front of him. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Too amazed to even answer, Wufei just nodded. He had never imaged that flying could be this incredible. Now he really could not wait for Nataku to grow large enough to carry him. As they climbed even higher the winds were becoming increasingly strong and more frigid.

Steadily the little group headed toward Mount Haku, and eventually the boy lost sight of Blue Fir Lake and the Dragon Shrine. A few lengths ahead of them Leo, the earth-colored dragon, soared calmly through the sky. Nataku had been flying next to the much larger Epyon for most of the time, but suddenly when Wufei turned his head he couldn't see her anymore. Alarmed he started to look around.

"What's wrong?' Treize wanted to know. The knight had wrapped his left arm protectively around the boy's waist while he held the dragon's reins with the other hand.

"It's Nataku…She was right here, just a moment ago..." There was a hint of panic in Wufei's voice.

"She is right behind us. See!" the tawny-haired man calmed him.

Wufei gazed back over his shoulders, satisfied when he spotted a glimpse of her large wings.

"She is using Epyon's body to shield herself from the wind," Treize explained. "It's something young dragons often do in flight. There is no need to worry, she seems to be one smart girl, Wufei."

"Yes, I know." the boy nodded proudly.

"Now hold on tight, we are going to break through the clouds." Treize urged, and moments later dove right into the grayish fog-like mass above them.

Instinctively the boy closed his eyes and tightened his grip on the saddle horn. For a few moments the air was heavy and thick with moisture. Then they broke through the cloud cover again, and Wufei felt a nudge against his right shoulder.

"Look straight ahead."

Carefully the boy opened his eyes and gasped in awe. Directly in front of them lay Mount Haku. Its icy, snow-covered slopes sparkled in the sun like silver. It was truly a magnificent sight.

Soon thereafter the group reached the peak. Epyon circled several times over a large flattened area before slowly touching down. The ground was bare and rocky, the earth looked dark and almost charred, and not as much as a single stalk of mountain grass grew there.

So, this was the place where, according to legend, Shenlong himself and the man who would eventually become the first Dragon Knight were locked in deadly battle for seven days and seven nights.

Still to this day Knights came from all over Galados, and even beyond the kingdom's borders, to test their dragon's strength against one another, at the very place where it all began. The older pupils at the Dragon Shrine occasionally came up here as well to hone their skills in battle, but Wufei had never been allowed to join them, not even to watch.

It was said that the air at mount Haku was laced with dark energy, a power that could easily overwhelm those weak of heart, and sometimes even the strongest warriors. Wufei felt a chill run down his spine as he was overcome by a feeling of awe mixed with dread.

Treize opened the golden clasp that held his cape together, removed the garment and hung it loosely over the boy's shoulder before dropping him off at the edge of the battlefield. "Stay here!" he urged. "And don't come any closer. It could be dangerous."

Wufei nodded in acknowledgement. Meanwhile Nataku had landed next to Epyon. With a few nervous chirps she tugged in her wings as she settled down beside her master. The boy watched as Treize guided his dragon to the center of the charred area, where Zechs and Leo were already waiting.

For a few moments the dragons stood head to head, staring each other down, blowing little clouds of hot air through their nostrils. Their riders reached for their shields and unsheathed their swords. They bowed to each other, and then the battle began…

#

Treize could feel a familiar rush as he charged toward his opponent. It was a feeling that came with every battle, mock or real, a feeling unlike any other and hard to describe. It could make your knees weak and your heart pound.

The sound of metal hitting metal echoed through the mountain range as Zechs stopped the attack with his sword. For a while the two knights danced around one another, charging and blocking over and over again. Finally Epyon took to the sky and Zechs pushed his dragon to follow. On the ground the large creatures seemed slow, almost awkward, in the air however there was nothing slow or clumsy about them. As they chased and evaded each other, the fight was becoming more and more intense. Soon the sounds of clashing swords was drowned out by the flapping of wings and roars of dominance. As Epyon soared past the other dragon he managed to hit him square in the chest with his tail. The impact knocked Zechs nearly out of the saddle. Angrily Leo snapped around, spitting fire and hurling the flame after his opponent. Treize ducked instinctively, even as Epyon dodged the fireball with ease.

###

"Instructor Noin, look!"

About ten of the oldest and most experienced pupils at the shrine were practicing swordsmanship on the training grounds when one of them suddenly called her name and pointed toward the sky. "Someone is fighting at Mount Haku."

The young woman raised her hand to cover her eyes as she looked up. Indeed, the sky around the mountain peak was flashing in the most brilliant colors she had ever seen. And there could be just one explanation. Only fighting dragons could produce such a magnificent display. The colors and lights in the atmosphere differed depending on the strength and ability of the dragon and his rider. From what she could tell...whoever was up there right now had to be a formidable warrior.

"Instructor Noin, can we fly up there and watch them?"

"Sorry, but we don't have time to loaf around today."

"But Instructor…"

Noin raised her hand to cut off the protests. "Before too long his Highness the king will arrive, and if I remember correctly some of you still have to complete their training for the day. Now let's not waste any more time, shall we?"

After a few more moments of moping and mumbling the students picked up their weapons and resumed their swordplay.

#

The magnificent display of power above Mount Haku did not remain unnoticed in the study of the Headmistress either. Lady Une put down her pen and gazed out of the window. From her desk she had a perfect view of the sacred mountain.

_Your highness, somehow I reckoned you would seize the opportunity for battle while you're here. After all, you never could walk away from a good fight, could you? Some things just never change. _

Although one would never have known from her physical appearance Lady had been in charge of the Dragon Shrine for more than a century now. Yes, of course, she too was a Dragon Knight.

Although it was something not even those scholars who studied all the ancient texts and scrolls understood completely, it was a fact that once a dragon bonded with its master both of them changed. Perhaps it was true, as some wise men suggested, that their souls fused into one. But then of course there were also those who questioned whether or not a dragon even possessed a soul.

In any case once a dragon bonded the beast became capable of understanding human speech. And in return its master gained the ability to call upon it freely. It was said that some dragon knights were able to communicate with their - and other - dragons mind to mind. But it was so rare of an occurrence that it too was dismissed as a myth by many scholars. However, the most amazing thing was that a bonded pair of dragon and man began to age at the same pace.

Une had met dragon knights who had celebrated the 500th day of their birth without as much as a single grey hair on their head. To a normal human it might seem that dragon knights lived eternally. But they did not; eventually they aged and died, it just happened at a very slow pace. Of course, they still could be killed in battle or be ravaged by disease just like any other human. If that happened, a master-less dragon stricken by grief often reverted to its most primal state and had to be destroyed. On the other hand, Une had never heard of any knight surviving the death of its dragon by more than a moon-cycle. It was another one of the mysteries scholars and wise men were still struggling to understand.

The headmistress picked up her pen and dipped it into the little inkwell. The sun was nearing its highest point. In a few hours the king and his entourage were scheduled to arrive, and there were still countless little things for her to take care of. Sometimes she couldn't help but remember how much less complicated things had been when she was just a member of the royal guard. But then again, nobody had forced her to take this position, and it certainly had its own rewards.

###

Wufei watched the battle that was unfolding in the sky above him in silent amazement. He had never before seen anything like it. Sometimes he wondered how the two knights even managed to stay in the saddle while their dragons soared and spiraled through the air. At one point Epyon plummeted headfirst toward the ground. Just when Wufei thought that he was going to crash and kill himself and his rider for sure, the dragon pulled up; his wings missing the ground by mere inches.

Letting out a breath he didn't even know he was holding the boy buried his hand in the soft fur around Nataku's neck. The small dragon was lying next to him, her head resting against his leg, but Wufei could tell by the way she was flicking her tail that she was not as relaxed as she seemed.

In the beginning the boy had kept his fingers crossed for the tawny-haired knight. The older man seemed more experienced and destined to win the battle, but nevertheless, Zechs seemed to be holding his own and Wufei could not help but admire him for that.

Somehow the long-haired knight was able to move around Epyon and attack from behind. His heavy longsword came down hard on the dragon's left thigh. As he spun around Epyon roared, more in anger and surprise than in pain. The weapon did leave little more than a scratch on the tough dragon hide, but it infuriated the creature. He snapped his teeth at his opponent, but when he could not reach him he sent a blast of flames after him. Too close to dodge, Zechs used his shield to block the first fireball and then dove to evade the second.

Wufei eyes went wide as he realized that the flame that missed Zechs was heading directly toward him. The two knights noticed it, too. Almost in unison they yelled for the boy to watch out and move. But Wufei, frozen in shock was only able to raise his arms to shield his face. Luckily at the last moment Nataku jumped in, wrapping her wings around the startled boy just as the fireball hit. Wufei could feel the heat even through the thick membrane of her wings, but the flames never even singed him.

"Wufei, are you alright?" Both knights had brought down their dragons in the center of the battle area. Treize was first to jump out of the saddle and rush toward the boy. But before he even reached him Nataku put herself between Wufei and the knight. With her wings spread and her neck extended she looked like an oversized mother hen protecting her chicks. The little dragon shook her head as she let out a few angry chirps and tweets. Sensing a threat toward his master, Epyon roared in response. The sound echoed through the mountain range like the rolling of thunder.

"Enough Epyon!" Treize raised his hand as he held his step. "Are you alright, Wufei?" he repeated. "You didn't get hurt, did you?"

"I'm fine, thanks to Nataku." Wufei shook his head. "I'm sorry; I really was trying to dodge but…"

"You have nothing to feel sorry about. It was not your fault," Treize assured him. "I'm just grateful that you weren't injured." He turned his head toward Zechs who was standing beside him. "I think we should stop our match here. We both got a little carried away there in the end, didn't we?"

The fair-haired knight nodded in agreement. "More than just a little, I'd say."

_Is that the dark power of Mount Haku people are talking about?_ Wufei wondered.

"Well then, let's leave this place and descend down to the forest to let the dragons rest and have something to eat." Treize suggested.

#

Not long thereafter the two knights and Wufei were sitting around a fire that had quickly been lit with some help from Epyon. Over the fire roasted some fish Zechs had caught in the nearby stream and a rabbit shot by the older knight. The boy had provided his share of wild mushrooms and sweet berries to the feast; he had learned a long time ago from his mother which of them were eatable and which ones were best avoided.

The two older dragons were resting a little away beneath a group of trees, while Nataku didn't leave her master's side for even a moment. She still seemed to be carrying a grudge against Treize for his earlier mishap, and when the tawny haired man reached out to hand Wufei a skewer with fish and roasted mushrooms she actually tried to nip at his fingers.

"Nataku," the boy scolded. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's gotten into her; she never has acted like this before."

"It's alright," Treize laughed. "I very much deserved it. As I mentioned earlier, dragons are very protective creatures. I think it will take a while before she is ready to forgive me for putting you in danger."

"It's alright, Nataku." Wufei ruffled the soft hair around the dragon's neck. "I wasn't hurt. So, no harm no fault." He ripped off a piece of his fish and offered it to her. With a delighted chirp she gently picked the treat from the palm of his hand and swallowed it in one gulp.

"I don't think she should be eating your food." Zechs told him.

"Why not; is it bad for her?" The boy looked questioningly at the fair-haired knight. "Nataku and I have always shared our food. "

As the little dragon nudged his hand, begging for more scraps, Zechs gestured at her. "That's why," he said. "You are spoiling her."

"Only a little," Wufei admitted as he looked at Treize for reassurance. "That's all right, isn't it?"

With a soft smile the older man nodded. "I think so." He paused briefly before adding. "Wufei, there is something I would like to ask you."

"Yes?"

"Earlier you said you didn't like the king. Would you mind telling me why you feel that way?"

"That's because…" Wufei looked down; reluctant to answer it seemed, but finally he raised his head again and looked at the dragon knight "He doesn't care about his people. He doesn't care what happens to them."

Treize blinked, surprised. Nobody had ever accused him before of being blind to his subjects needs. But Zechs seemed even more taken aback by the statement than the king himself. The young man's eyes darkened.

"How dare you say such a thing? How would someone of the likes of you have any idea whether His Highness cares about his people or not?"

Wufei glared back at the fair-haired knight with the same intensity, his little hands tightening to fists. "I know, because if he did care, my village would not have been burned down, and the people who lived there would not have been captured or killed."

Startled at the resentment mixed with sadness in the boys voice Treize swallowed. "What…what happened?" he wanted to know.

"Two years ago, just before harvest season, our village was attacked by bandits on horseback. The village elder sent all the women and children into hiding and told the men to fight and hold off the attackers until help arrived. He said it shouldn't take long for the soldiers at the nearby outpost to notice the battle. But time went by and no help came. The village elder finally decided to send his own granddaughter and me to the outpost to alert the soldiers. We were riding together on a horse that we had captured from the bandits, but when we arrived at the outpost we realized that it had been abandoned a long time ago. The soldiers we had waited for never came, because the king didn't think we were important enough to spend money for our protection…"

"I don't think that's true," Zechs interrupted. "You should know that His Highness doubled the number of soldiers at outposts and guard stations since he was crowned. He has only been king for four years now. Have you ever considered that he perhaps didn't know that that outpost near your village had been abandoned?"

"He **should** have known," the boy snapped. "As the king he is supposed to know these things."

"You are quite an insolent little…"

"He is right, Zechs." Treize raised his hand to quiet his bodyguard. "Ignorance is a poor excuse." _I would not allow any of my men to hide behind such an excuse and therefore neither should I._

"But…"

"If the king wants to call himself a competent and righteous ruler, he should know what's going on in every corner of his kingdom."

"But that's what he has Provincial Lords for. If they don't tell him these things how can it be his fault?"

"The king assigns the Provincial Lords. If they don't take care of their duties it's **his** fault for choosing them." Wufei replied and Treize shrugged and spread his hands as if to say: _I couldn't have said it better myself._

"Fine." Zechs huffed. "I'm really glad that I'll never be king."

"But being king does have its advantages too," Treize pointed out, a tiny smirk curving his lips. Then he turned serious again as he looked at Wufei. "I really regret what happened to your village and your family, Wufei. I wish those things would not occur, and hopefully someday Galados will become a place where everyone can live in peace. But I'm curious about something else… You mentioned that you met Nataku shortly **before** soldiers found you in the woods and took you to the Dragon Shrine. Do you mind telling us the rest of the story?"

"I don't mind." The boy shook his head. "When we found the outpost empty Meiran and I decided to try reaching the Provincial Castle. The castle was many miles away but getting there was our only chance. Even if we could not get help in time at least we would be able to tell them what had happened to our village." Wufei paused and stared down in his lap. "But we never made it there. A small group of bandits had followed us. They attacked and killed our horse. Meiran said we would have a better chance if we split up. She wanted me to go on by myself while she was going to hold off the pursuers for a little while and then hide. She has always been a better fighter, while I was always better in running away from her, she said. But I had hurt my leg when the horse fell and I could not run as fast as I wanted to. At one point, when I was just too tired to go any further, I found what looked like a large burrow in the ground. I crawled inside to hide there. While I waited for nightfall I could hear the men searching the forest for me and I prayed for help and for them not to find me. I think Shenlong must have heard my prayers because suddenly the ground shook; I could see light in the furthest corner of the burrow and then I saw Nataku. I don't know where she came from but she put her wings around me and it made me feel very safe for some reason. I don't remember much after that. I must have fallen asleep. When I woke up I was at the Dragon Shrine where I was told that a group of provincial soldiers on patrol had found me." He paused again and looked at his dragon with fondness in his eyes. "Lady Une told me that Nataku had led the soldiers to me and then she disappeared. At first I thought that I was never going to see her again, and I wanted to go back to the forest to find her. But Lady Une explained that Dragons normally live in their own world and only rarely enter our world on their own. But when I got older I could try summoning her and when our bond was strong enough she would come." The boy had a tiny smirk on his face as he looked up at Treize. "But I did not want to wait until I got older, and finally Lady Une had Instructor Noin show me how to summon a dragon. I tried it myself and it worked. It really was not that hard. I think Nataku was just waiting for me to call her."

_I tried and it really was not that hard…_ Zechs huffed. It took most people years of training before they were able to perform a successful summoning. _Who in the name of Shenlong is this boy?_

Even Treize was impressed by Wufei's story. "That's quite remarkable you know. The two of you must have a very strong connection."

"You really think so?"

"I do. I really do." The tawny-haired man nodded. "I would love to talk some more about it, but I'm afraid it will have to wait. Right now we should head back to the place where we first met. You will be riding with Zechs this time. He will drop you off at the Shrine on the way."

Wufei threw a timid gaze at Zechs but nodded. "All right. Will we meet again?" he wanted to know.

"Absolutely." Treize assured him."Perhaps sooner than you think."

"Before we leave I want to send Nataku home," the boy said. "She isn't used to flying this much and must be tired. Following us all the way back might be too much for her."

"Very well, then let's get ready."

* * *

><p>T.B.C.<p>

Author's Note:


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

* * *

><p><strong>The Dragon King<strong>

**Book 1- Of New Kings and New Friends**

**Chapter 3**

The clearing leading to the Dragon Shrine was large enough for a dozen dragons to land and take off comfortably, and as far as Wufei knew, it had been created for just that very purpose. The two guards stationed at the gates snapped to attention as Zechs dropped the boy off right in front of them, and Wufei couldn't help but wonder if the fair-haired knight was some kind of important person of high rank and status.

"If I leave you here, are you going to be all right on your own?" Zechs asked, as he too slipped out of the saddle.

"The boy nodded. "I'll be fine." _I'll probably be in big trouble if someone noticed that I was gone, but watching that fight and flying on a dragon's back is worth any punishment. _"I'll be on my way then." Wufei bowed to the knight. "Thank you for taking me home and thank you also for allowing me to fly with you to Mount Haku."

Zechs gave the boy a curt nod. "It wasn't my choice to be made."

As Wufei stepped through the heavy gate onto the school grounds, the knight waved one of the guards closer. He exchanged a few words with the man then mounted his dragon and took off into the sky. Within a few moments dragon and rider had disappeared out of sight.

#

If Wufei had hoped that nobody had noticed his little outing, his hopes were shattered the very moment he ran into Nichols just outside the dormitory. Nichols. who was not only one of the oldest pupils at the shrine, had recently been appoint prefect of the trainees, and as such had been made responsible for keeping order and discipline amongst the other pupils. There was no question about it, his sword fighting and horsemanship skills were outstanding and he had been able to summon his own dragon since long before Wufei had been resident at the shrine. It was widely assumed that this year he would be one of the pupils chosen by his Highness to continue his training at the royal palace. But Nichols also was one of the few people who had never made a secret of the fact that he disliked the younger Wufei. However, truth to be told, the feeling of aversion between them was quite mutual.

"Hey Chang," the older boy called out. He never referred to Wufei by his given name.

Wufei turned his head. "Yes?"

"Headmistress Une has been looking for you. You left the grounds again, didn't you? Looks like you will be cleaning stables again." Nichols announced with a tiny sneer.

The younger boy huffed. "That's all right. I happen to like horses; they are more intelligent than certain cadets around here," he shot back.

"Why you little…"

Wufei ducked as Nichols tried to strike him and the older boy only managed to hit empty air. Before he was able to retain his balance Wufei had already weaseled around him.

He could not say that he was looking forward to meeting Lady Une, but if the headmistress was already angry, it was best not to let her wait any longer. Though she was known to be strict and demanding on her pupils, Lady Une could never been accused of being unfair or cruel. Wufei had learned that she had been a member of the royal guard, bestowed with the highest honors during the last great war, and then there were rumors amongst the trainees about her carrying out secret missions for the former king. What kind of missions, only she and the late king himself would know.

#

Wufei found the headmistress just outside the staff building, talking to one of the guards who had been at the gate earlier. Respectfully the boy waited for them to finish their conversation before he approached.

"You wanted to see me, Headmistress Une?"

"Wufei Chang." She looked at him sharply from over her thin rimmed glasses. "For how long have you been with us now?"

Wufei swallowed. "Almost two years, Ma'am."

"One would think that's more than enough time for anyone to make himself familiar with the rules and regulations of our school, especially the part about leaving the grounds without permission."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"But apparently I am wrong, because you still don't seem to know them very well. Therefore, tonight while the other trainees attend the feast in honor of his Highness the king, you shall be in your room writing down the school rules one hundred times. And it'd best be in your best penmanship, or you will do it again. Did I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Lady Une." The boy nodded.

"Now go. Change into your dress uniform for the assembly. His Highness will arrive any moment."

Wufei gave another nod. "Yes, Ma'am."

As the boy walked away the headmistress's gaze followed him until he disappeared out of sight. _So, he already caught your attention, your Highness. I'm not surprised. You have always had a good eye when it came to recognizing a person's potential. _

#

Tugging impatiently at the sleeves of his uniform Wufei, among roughly one hundred other trainees, waited in the inner yard for the king's arrival. Finally the procession entered the Dragon Shrine's gates, led by a dozen mounted Royal Guards in gray and blue garb. Next was the king's carriage, drawn by a team of four snow-white horses with red and gold trappings, matching the colors of the coach, and accompanied by a single rider on a majestic white stallion. The horse's blue and silver barding was adorned with the same crown symbols that also decorated the soldier's uniforms and armor. Following the carriage was another group of guards on horseback.

As he looked around Wufei first noticed the long, silvery hair and then he realized that the lone rider next to the king's carriage was no other than Zechs. _He is a Royal Guard? I had no idea. But if Zechs is here does this mean… _The boy let his gaze wander, desperately trying to catch a glimpse of reddish-brown hair; it should be easy to spot, he figured. But no matter how much he looked he could not see the older dragon knight anywhere, at least not until the carriage came to a stop and the king climbed out of the vehicle.

Wufei's eyes went wide. He was so surprised that he nearly forgot to kneel down until one of the other trainees nudged him.

"Wufei, what are you doing? It's the king, get down."

Still dumbfounded Wufei quickly dropped to one knee and lowered his head. _What's going on? "_This man…" he whispered to the boy to his left. "That... he can't be... the king. I've met him, he is a dragon knight."

"Of course, the King IS a dragon knight. Didn't you know?" his neighbor whispered back, and somewhere behind them one of the other pupils snorted. "Dimwit! You met the king, right? Maybe you met Shenlong himself as well?"

"You've got to stop reading all those fairy tales and legends, Wufei," yet another boy added.

_Maybe they are right. It's impossible! He can't be… _The boy glanced up to where Treize, with Zechs directly beside him, slowly made his way through the inner yard and toward the main hall. The king was still wearing the same clothing he wore when Wufei met him earlier that day; his travel outfit the boy assumed. _**…Wufei, meet Zechs Merquise, my personal guard… **__that's right, that's what he said wasn't it?_

Raising his head slightly Wufei glanced up again. Neither Treize nor Zechs took notice of him as they walked past the boy. Wufei's gaze followed him even long after the king and his entourage stepped through the doors to the main hall and disappeared out of sight.

###

"Welcome to the Dragon Shrine, Your Highness." Lady Une greeted the king with a respectful bow. "It is, as always, a great honor to have you here."

"The honor is ours." Treize returned the gesture with a polite nod. "We have been looking forward to this visit all year, and we cannot wait for the students to demonstrate their skills tomorrow."

"Thank you, Your Highness. I hope your journey was a pleasant one."

"Very pleasant indeed," the king confirmed. "Galados is beautiful at this time of year." He paused briefly and shook his head. "What are we saying? Galados is beautiful at any time of the year."

"Nevertheless, I assume you must be exhausted. Please allow me to show you to your quarters."

Treize nodded. "We would greatly appreciate that."

With the rest of the royal guard staying behind, Treize and his personal bodyguard followed the headmistress to the sleeping quarters that had been prepared for the king.

"This surely brings back memories," the tawny haired man announced as they walked down the long corridor, "doesn't it Zechs?"

"It does." Zechs agreed. Only a few years ago he had been a pupil at the Dragon Shrine himself, walking these very halls with his friends and fellow trainees. He had to admit, coming back here felt a bit...nostalgic, to say the least.

A few minutes later the small group stopped in front of the door to the king's quarters. Zechs gestured for Treize to stand back and wait while he opened the door and stepped into the room first. It was something that had become like second nature to him, even if he didn't exactly expect any danger here at the shrine. Protecting the king of Galados with his life was the least he could do after he had been taken in and raised in this kingdom. It was the only thing really he **could** do to protect his own people too, many of whom had found refuge and a new life in Galados.

Satisfied with his inspection, Zechs nodded to the king, indicating that it was safe to enter the room.

"My Lady, do you have a few moments? I would like to talk to you." Treize easily switched from the royal 'we' to the more informal and personal 'I' now that they were in private.

"But of course, your Highness."

"Zechs!" The king turned to his bodyguard. "I would like to speak to Lady Une privately. Why don't you get cleaned up and rest for a while. I suspect it will be a long night tonight."

The fair-haired knight nodded in acknowledgement. "As you wish, Sire."

"I had the room adjacent to His Highness' quarters prepared for you." the headmistress told him, and Treize added. "If I should require your services I'll call for you."

"Your Highness, my Lady." With another sharp nod Zechs turned on his heel and left the room.

The king gestured for Lady Une to have a seat as he himself settled down in a chair by the window. "I assume you received my message?"

"Regarding Wufei? Yes, of course I have. I had been planning to introduce the boy to you during your stay anyway. He appears to possess remarkable powers."

"So it seems." Treize confirmed. "And the bond between him and his dragon is just as astonishing. In any case, I was wondering if you could make plans for a private meeting between the boy and me."

Lady Une laughed; something she seldom did. "I always thought it was customary for subjects to ask for an audience with their king, not the other way around? But I'll make arrangements, of course."

"Thank you. I'm afraid I might have… umm missed the chance to introduce myself properly when I met Wufei earlier today."

"Oh?" The headmistress raised one eyebrow. "He doesn't know you are the king?"

"I believe he might be under the impression I'm just an ordinary dragon knight. Perhaps it might be best to clear things up before tonight's festivities."

"I understand, although I'm afraid Wufei won't be attending the feast, but will instead spend the evening in his room as part of his punishment."

"Oh? Did he do anything warranting punishment?"

Lady Une threw the king a sharp look. "You know very well he did, Your Highness. The school rules have not changed since your times. Pupils are still forbidden to leave the grounds without permission. Although…" She sighed. "That never seemed to stop you either."

With a look of fake surprise Treize asked. "Are you trying to say that I was a troublesome pupil?"

"Troublesome, no I wouldn't call it that, your Highness. You were the worst kind of pupil a headmistress could think of; disruptive, disobedient, mischievous…"

"I apologize," The king laughed, "for causing you so much grief back then. I was young and foolish. And look where it got me." He spread his hands and smirked. "I suppose you could use my example as a warning for any unruly student."

"I can see that you have not changed at all," she huffed.

###

Wufei was still trying to come to grips with his feelings after learning that the man he had trusted was actually the King of Galados, the very person he had had come to despise more than anyone over the past two years. As much as he tried to think of a reason why Treize might have lied to him, the feeling of betrayal remained like a bitter taste in his mouth.

The boy was sitting in his room in the dormitory, slowly and painstakingly copying the school rules as Lady Une had requested. Putting down his pen he set the piece of paper aside onto a small pile.

_Seven down, ninety-three more to go..._ He sighed. _This is going to be a long night._

A firm knock at his door startled him just as he was about to dip his pen into the inkwell.

"Come in, please!"

Wufei turned his head, and quickly jumped to his feet when the door opened.

"Lady Une?" He hadn't expected to see the headmistress. Typically, when she wanted to speak to one of the trainees she would request for them to come to her. She rarely visited somebody in the dorms.

She stepped into the room, taking a long look over his shoulder at the papers on his desk. "I see you are taking your punishment seriously. That's commendable. I'm afraid, though, you will have to put off your work for a bit. I'm here to take you to the king. His Highness requested a private audience with you. I'm sure you can guess the reason."

The boy nodded seriously. "Yes, Lady Une, I think I can."

Wufei didn't look forward to meeting the man again, but even at his age the boy knew that one did not just decline a request made by his majesty. So, with an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, he followed the headmistress to the king's personal quarters.

Zechs was with the king when they arrived. The young man opened the door for their guests, nodding briefly at Wufei as he passed him, before retreating discretely to his own quarters.

"Please come closer," Treize demanded from where he was sitting.

Lady Une bowed deeply and Wufei dropped to one knee and lowered his head in front of His Highness.

"Please, rise," the king told him. Since the boy last saw him he had changed into a more formal and colorful outfit: a set of blue silk robes embroidered with pictures of dragons and flowers.

_If he had worn those this morning I surely would have recognized him as the king right away_.

Wufei wasn't sure what he expected; an apology or explanation perhaps. But he certainly didn't anticipate for Treize just to smile at him like nothing had happened.

"Didn't I tell you we would meet again, soon?"

Maybe it was this reaction that infuriated Wufei. His hands clenched into fists as he glared at the tawny-haired man. "You lied to me," he accused. "I trusted you…I told you everything about me…and you lied."

"Well, strictly speaking it really wasn't a lie," Treize pointed out. "I admit, I never told you that I am the king. But on the other hand, you never asked, either."

"And that makes it acceptable?" the boy snapped angrily as he was trying hard to fight the sudden tightness in his chest. "I was right about you all along. No actually, you are even worse than I thought. I hate you!" Determined not to cry he spun around and stormed out of the room.

"Wufei Chang!" Lady Une admonished sharply, but when she tried to hurry after the boy Treize raised his hand to stop her.

"Let him go, please."

"But Your Highness…" she protested. "You should not let him get away with talking to you like that."

"But I did deserve it, My Lady." Treize sighed. "I'm afraid I made a real mess of things, didn't I? I should have realized how sensitive the boy is. But trying to talk to him right now won't do any good. He probably needs some time to think things over. If it was me, I'd want to be alone right now."

"Your Highness, you are too kind."

###

Fighting back tears Wufei ran out into the yard. His first thought was just to go back to his room, but before he knew it his feet had carried him to the training grounds behind the stables. Of course the grounds were empty, now that everyone, staff and pupils alike, was getting ready for the feast.

Almost instinctively the boy folded his hands, closed his eyes and summoned Nataku. The little dragon appeared instantly. Feeling her master's distress she chirped anxiously as she nudged him with the top of her bony head.

"Nataku!" Wufei sniffled. Having her by his side somehow always made him always better. He wrapped his arms around the creature and buried his face in the soft fur around her neck. Only then did he allow his tears to flow freely. "I don't know what to do, Nataku. I always thought that I hated him. But after meeting him….I'm not sure anymore. He lied to me, yes, and I can't forgive him for that just yet. But he isn't the heartless and cruel person I had imagined him to be. Do you think it would be wrong if I like him…just a little?"

The little dragon draped her wings tenderly around the boy's small body, just like she did that night when she had first followed his call. As she tweeted reassuringly she could feel the boy relax in her gentle embrace.

* * *

><p>TBC<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

A big Thank You to KT who is taking time out of her busy schedule to help me proofread this story.

* * *

><p><strong>The Dragon King<strong>

**Book 1- Of New Kings and New Friends**

**Chapter 4**

When Zechs returned to the royal quarters to accompany the king to the feast, he found him still sitting by the window, staring out into the slowly darkening sky.

"Is everything alright, You Highness?" the young knight wanted to know.

"Yes. It's just that…the meeting between the boy and myself did not turn out as well as I had hoped," Treize admitted with a sigh. "He was quite upset about the fact that I failed to reveal my identity to him this morning."

"Oh?"

"You can say it, you know."

"Say what?"

"I told you so."

"I take absolutely no pleasure in being right about it, Your Highness," his bodyguard replied evenly.

Treize tilted his head and looked up at him, a ghost of a smirk on his lips. "Liar!" he accused.

The younger man returned the grin ever so slightly. "Well, perhaps a little."

"You are not that hard to read, you know."

Zechs gave a little huff before changing the subject. "Are you ready to go, your Highness? The festivities are about to start. It would be bad form for the guest of honor, even if it is the king, to be late."

"Oh, I'm ready," the king assured him as he pushed himself out of his chair. A somewhat pensive expression crossed his face. "I'm wondering if Lady Une managed to get her hands on some whistleberry wine for us this year?"

A whistleberry was a small, wild fruit that only grew in a few, very selective areas in the Shenlong Mountains. Treize had developed a liking for the very unique tasting wine. However, it was hard to come by, even for the king.

Like everything else in Galados, the tiny deep-red berries even had their own legend, according to which a princess who had fallen in love with a common soldier, killed herself in the forest after learning that her beloved had fallen in battle. The next spring the spot where she had died was covered with whistleberry plants, their pure white flowers symbolizing love and loyalty while the red berries represent the blood that had been spilled. Their name however, came from the plant's uniquely shapes leaves which made excellent whistles.

#

The feast, traditionally held on the first night of the king's annual visit, had always been a grand event with music, entertainment and a splendor of food and wine (for those old enough to enjoy it). Treize remembered it being just the same way, back when he had trained at the shrine. Now of course **he** was the 'guest of honor', sitting at the head of the large horseshoe shaped table, with Lady Une to his right and his body guard to his left side.

The headmistress **did** after all manage to secure several kegs of whistleberry wine for the occasion, and the servers had been instructed to make sure that nobody was left with an empty goblet tonight.

With a pleasant smile Treize applauded as a group of young woman, carrying colorful ribbons, somersaulted through the open doors. As he watched them dance he raised his glass to his lips. The wine was sweet, with an underlined spicy taste to it that was so very unique to whistleberries.

To the sounds of flutes and lyres the women tossed and swirled their ribbons so quickly that the colors blended, forming one brilliant rainbow. Nimble and graceful they moved over the dance floor. It was a delight to watch them.

Suddenly the music stopped, the women bowed and cleared the floor. And then, accompanied by a solo drum roll, a boy, no more than eleven or twelve years of age, rode into the hall on a large, fierce looking feline.

"A saber-cat," Treize nearly gasped in surprise. "I've never seen one of these creatures in Galados."

Saber-cats were known to be ferocious, forest and desert dwelling beasts, living only in a few uninhabited mountain areas in Lhankor and the arid region of Narath.

"The troupe hails from Lhankor," Lady Une explained. "Or so I have been told."

"I see." The king nodded.

Lhankor was a small kingdom in the south-west. It didn't have rich metal and mineral resources like Galados, but the country was blessed with very fertile soil. Many of its neighbors, especially the Desert Emirate of Narath, imported most of their crops from there.

Meanwhile the dark-haired boy had stopped his mount in the center of the hall. The creature roared, loud enough to make the windowpanes vibrate, and elicit a number of startled gasps from the crowd, and showed off those protruding, curved fangs saber-cats derived their name from. It was indeed a impressive display.

The rider dismounted, and two men led the feline out of the room. Before the doors could shut behind them the boy put two fingers to his mouth and let out a whistle. Moments later a snow white owl soared into sight. The large bird circle the hall a couple of times before settling down on its master's leather-clad arm where it received some kind of treat.

The young performer bowed to the audience. For a while he entertained the crowd by throwing a lure into the air which the bird would catch with little effort and bring back to him. But suddenly the owl changed directions, heading straight toward the king. Instinctively Treize ducked his head, but not fast enough to avoid the theft of his crown. With the regal diadem safely between its sharp talons, the bird flew up into the high ceiling, where it perched itself onto one of the wooden rafters.

The king raised one eyebrow in a mixture of amusement and surprise, while the boy approached and bowed in front of him.

"I beg your pardon, Your Majesty. He is a very obedient bird for most parts, but he does seem to fancy shiny things."

"Is that so?" Treize asked, clearly amused. "Then perhaps he and I can make a little deal?" he suggested while he reached into his pocket to pull out a silver coin and hold it up for the bird to see.

The owl didn't budge.

"Oh, I see," the king smirked. "You don't think a piece of silver is a fair price to pay for the return of my headdress? W,ell let's see then..." he exchanged the coin for a larger gold piece. "Perhaps this will suit you more?"

And sure enough, the bird left its perch without hesitation, and to everyone's amusement. He dropped the crown onto the table in front of the king and grabbed the coin instead, which he then exchanged for another treat from his master.

As the young performer attempted to return the gold piece to the king Treize graciously waved his hand. "Keep it, you more than deserved it. What's your name, boy?"

"They call me, Triton, Your Majesty."

"You have a real talent with animals, Triton."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

With another bow the boy sent the bird away, and for a moment it looked like this was going to be the end of his performance. Once again the music died down as four men led the saber-cat back into the hall. At least Treize thought it was the same feline they had seen before, but then he realized that this one was larger and a bit darker in color than the first. The animal was snarling and growling and trying to fight the men who held it back by four heavy chains. Stunned silence fell over the audience as the boy approached the beast. From only a few feet away the two were staring each other down for what seemed forever, then suddenly the feline dropped its gaze and seemed to relax. With a soft smile the boy stepped closer, reached out and the large animal tilted his head and rubbed it against his hand. The crowd let out a collective gasp as he removed the four chains from the cat's collar, swung himself onto its back and left the hall in the same way he had come in.

"Impressive." Treize remarked. "Most impressive."

"Was is real, or just show; what do you think, Your Highness?" Lady Une asked.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "But either way I thought it was quite remarkable. The boy might have powers; do you know if he has ever been tested?"

"Not as far as I know. I was thinking the same as you, your Highness, and I spoke to his sister about it -Their parents died and she is raising him. – She told me that he did not want to leave the troupe, no matter what."

"That's really too bad. I hate to see such potential wasted."

"I agree."

"Lady Une!"

Treize turned his head. A young woman, her name was Noin if he remembered correctly, was standing right behind them. She bowed at him.

"Please forgive my rudeness, Your Highness. I do apologize for the interruption, but…"

"Yes?" he asked.

"I can't seem to find Wufei."

"What do you mean?" The headmistress frowned.

"I was going to bring him something to eat…, after all he didn't have supper yet, but he was not in his room. I checked the library and common rooms... but I could not find him there either. So I spoke to some of the other pupils but it appears that no one has seen him since he left with you earlier this afternoon."

"That foolish boy," Une shook her head, concern clearly written in her face. "You do not think he took off again, do you?"

"He should know better than to leave the shrine at nightfall." Noin replied. "I will look for him a little more, but if I can't find him, I would like your permission to take Aries out and search the forest."

The headmistress nodded firmly. "Permission granted."

"Zechs." The king ordered. "Go with her. And keep me updated."

"As you wish, Your Highness," his bodyguard nodded.

#

"Let us split up. That way, we can cover more ground quicker," Zechs suggested as he and Lucrezia Noin walked out into the yard. The two of them had not only gone through training together, they also were both refugees from Sanq, which was probably the reason why he had always felt a little closer to her than to most of the other pupils. The fact that they were close in age and she was a bit of a tomboy who always liked to challenge herself and those around her, was probably another.  
>Noin could have easily joined the Royal Guard if she had wanted, but instead she chose to stay here at the Dragon Shrine as an instructor after her graduation.<p>

"Well thought," the young woman agreed. "I'll check the gate first. Maybe one of the guards there has noticed something out of the ordinary."

Zechs nodded. "Then I'll start at the inner yard."

In the back of his mind the fair-haired dragon knight had somewhat of an idea where the boy could be, so before looking anywhere else he headed directly for the training grounds. Sure enough, as soon as he rounded the stables he could see something in the dark that at first sight looked like a large boulder. When he got closer however, the 'boulder' shifted. A triangular head popped up from beneath a grey wing, large brown eyes studying him warily.

As he closed in Nataku snarled warningly, and the young knight put a finger over his lips. "You are going to wake him," he whispered, gesturing at the boy who was dead asleep, curled up against his dragon.

The snarling turned into a quiet chirping. Obviously she wasn't sure if she could trust Zechs, and confused about what to do.

"It's all right," he assured her calmly, quietly. "I'm a friend, remember?"

The dragon finally allowed the knight to come close enough to pick the boy up.

"I'll take it from here. He will be fine. You can go home now."

A bluish glow started to envelope the creature, and then moments later inside the glow the dragon's contour began to fade.  
>Zechs had always wondered what would happen if one was to step into that glowing circle. Would it take you to a different place, or kill you? If dragons traveled safely from one world to the other could the same be true for humans? And what was the world like in which they lived? Obviously there had to be other creatures too, prey for them to live on. Dragons could be quite skilled when it came to hunting, and their appetite enormous. How did they live while they were on the other side, he wondered. Alone? Or perhaps in groups or small families like many of the wild beats in this realm? Did the dragons who met in this world know and recognize one another, perhaps even form some kind of friendship? There were so many things he would have loved to know; but no one could answer his questions.<p>

In his arms, Wufei shifted slightly but didn't wake up as the young man started to walk toward the dormitories. About half way there, he ran into Noin again.

"You found him already?" She sounded surprised. "How did you know where to look?"

"Well, I had an idea where he might be," the young man replied. "There is really only one place inside the shrine where you can safely summon a dragon."

Noin shook her head. "Of course, why didn't I think of that myself?" Her lips curved into a soft smile as she looked at the sleeping figure in Zechs' arms. "Look at him; he is still just a little child."

"Let's take him to his room before he wakes up. Will you show me the way?"

###

Wufei was woken when the first rays of the rising sun fell onto his bed. He opened his eyes slowly and frowned. _How did I get here?_

The last thing the boy remembered was summoning Nataku and then crying his heart out. A slight blush of embarrassment crept into his cheeks at that memory, but he still could not recall how he had gotten into bed.

His robes were hanging over the chair by his writing desk, and his shoes were lined up neatly beneath them. Wufei pushed away the quilt that was covering him and jumped out of bed. On his desk the papers reminded him that he still had not completed his writings. Not only needed he to finish writing down the rules, but tomorrow Headmistress Une also expected him to hand in his copy of the scrolls of the gods. With a sigh the young boy slipped into his chair. But before he could even reach for the pen his stomach started to growl, reminding him that he had not eaten anything since…since he and the two dragon knights had their meal at Mount Haku. His frown deepened into a scowl at the memory.

The sun was up and shining, the morning meal was going to be served soon. Perhaps, if he went down to the kitchen now he could talk the staff into letting him eat a little earlier. As Wufei gazed out of his window his eyes fell upon a group of colorful covered wagons. _Traveling folks…_ he thought. _They must have provided the entertainment for last night's feast.  
><em>Suddenly his eyes went wide. Chained to one of the wagons he noticed two large scarcely striped felines. He had never seen creatures like it, except for in pictures and paintings, but he had read books about them. Wufei quickly put on his clothes and slipped into his shoes. He almost flew down the long spiral staircase, stopping only briefly at the washroom to splash some cold water into his face and clean his teeth.

As Wufei approached the wagons he noticed a boy, a few years his senior, brushing down one of the large cats. The animal had its eyes closed and was purring so loud that Wufei could hear it even from where he was standing. It's fur was of deep golden color with dark stripes across it's chest, legs and the center of its back all the way to the tip of its long tail. The boy had read that only forest dwelling saber-cats carried those markings, while those living in the desert had plain, tan colored coats. Of course, it made sense. Those stripes, meant to camouflage the animal in the jungle would be a dead giveaway in the sands of the desert.

"Umm…" he cleared his throat causing the older boy to turn his head.

"Oh, it's you…the boy with the dragon."

"Huh?" Wufei blinked in confusion. "How…?"

"Your headmistress allowed us to board our horses in the stable for the night," the boy explained. "When I went to check on them shortly before my performance I saw the two of you."

"Oh." Wufei blushed once again.

"You have a beautiful dragon."

"Thank you. She is my best friend."

"I know what you mean." The other boy nodded and petted one of the cats between the ears. "Do you have a name?"

"You can call me Wufei. What about you?"

"I'm Triton. And these two are Kin and K'ri."

"Can I touch them?" Wufei asked.

The older boy nodded. "Sure, as long as I'm here they won't hurt you."

Cautiously Wufei stepped closer and reached out to caress the smaller of the two felines. Its fur was, compared to its brother's, darker and had a orange hue to it. "It's so soft." The boy exclaimed in wonder.

"Isn't it? You know saber-cat fur is special; it can keep warm and cool at the same time. That's why they can live in the hottest desert as well as in snow-covered mountains."

"Really?"

Triton nodded. "But unfortunately that's also why they are hunted so much. Kin and K'ri's mother was killed for her pelt, too. Luckily I found them, or they would have starved to death, because they were still too small to fend for themselves. Do you want to help me brush them?"

"May I, really?" Wufei could barely contain his excitement.

The older boy handed him a soft oval brush and showed him how to use it. A low purr rumbled in Kin's chest as Wufei started to brush him. The feline really seemed to enjoy it.

"Triton, hurry up, breakfast is almost…." A young woman with long reddish hair came around one of the wagons. "Oh, I didn't realize you had a guest."

"Wufei this is Catherine, my older sister." Triton introduced them. "Catherine, this is Wufei. He is been helping me."

Wufei dipped his head and bowed politely. "It's nice to meet you, Ma'am."

"Aren't you the cutest?" With a soft chuckle Catherine reached out to ruffle his hair. "But you don't need to call me 'Ma'am'. I'm really not that old you know. Are you going to join us for breakfast?"

"Uh...," the boy hesitated for a moment. "Is it all right?"

"Yes, of course." She nodded. "There is plenty to go around. Triton, show him where to wash up and then come to the table."

The older boy nodded at his sister and then gestured for Wufei to follow him. On the other side of the makeshift camp stood several buckets filled with water, where the boys cleaned themselves. Triton then led the way around the wagons. In the center of the small camp was a long, low table.

Wufei counted more than a dozen people, men and woman, sitting around the table eating, talking and laughing. He swallowed nervously, instinctively slowing his pace. He hadn't expected to be breaking bread with so many strangers.

"Come on," Triton encouraged him with a nudge in the back. "Trust me, nobody here bites."

Catherine waved at them. At her side were two empty cushions on the floor. Triton took the seat next to his sister, while Wufei finally settled down next to him. He was quickly introduced to everyone in the troupe, but it was just impossible for him to remember all their names. There were two brothers, one of whom performed as a fire eater, while the other was skilled with throwing knifes. An older woman with kind, green eyes offered to read him his future if he came to see her later after the meal, and her husband performed little magic tricks at the table, very much to everyone's amusement.

Someone put a plate in front of him filled with bread, cheese and fruit. "Eat up, Kid!"

For a while they ate quietly before Catherine turned toward the boy. "Wufei, you live at the Dragon Shrine, don't you?"

"Yes."

"And," she wanted to know, "do you like it here?"

"It is nice, most of the time. Headmistress Une can be a bit strict, but you get used to it."

"What about studies, are they difficult?"

Triton frowned at his sister. "Why do you ask him these things?"

"Well," she sighed. "Headmistress Une came to see me yesterday. We spoke about you, Triton," she finally admitted. "She suggested that you should get tested. She thinks you might have what it takes to be admitted to this school."

"I'm not leaving the troupe."

"But Triton, if you were to become a Dragon Knight, you would never have to worry about anything."

"What about you?" he asked. "And Kin and K'ri?"

"You don't have to worry about us. We will be fine here. But think about yourself. You are too bright to spend your life entertaining other people. And you would finally be able to make friends."

Triton shook his head. "I'm not leaving," he declared firmly, almost stubbornly.

"Fine." His sister sighed. "I won't push you to do anything you don't want."

* * *

><p>TBC<p>

Author's Note: * Kin =Golden, K'ri = Chestnut

Here is a picture of a saber cat how I imagine it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

A big Thank You to KT who is taking time out of her busy schedule to help me proofread this story.

* * *

><p><strong>The Dragon King<strong>

**Book 1- Of New Kings and New Friends**

**Chapter 5**

The second day of the king's annual visit at the Dragon Shrine was reserved for tournaments and mock battles. It was the day the older pupils had been waiting for all year, the day when they could show off their skills and compete for the king's attention. By the time the sun was sinking, one or more of them could be future Royal Guards, members of the most elite Dragon Knight force in all of Galados. It was something every student entering the school dreamed about.

Treize stifled a yawn. He was by nature not a morning person. The fact that Zechs had woken him at the break of dawn and dragged him –almost literally- along on his two mile morning run, didn't help either. The younger man insisted that the fresh forest air cured any hangover, but Treize wasn't so sure about it. He turned his head slightly, gazed to his left at his bodyguard and wondered how **anyone** could look so fresh and energetic after a long night of drinking and celebrating. It just didn't seem fair.

As he turned his attention back toward the swordfight going on in front of them, his gaze caught Wufei standing in a group with other trainees just left of the royal box. Coincidentally just then the boy looked in his direction. Their eyes met for a brief moment before Wufei scowled and turned his nose up and his head away.

_What a troublesome child! _Treize sighed. _Hot-tempered and stubborn as a Lowland Dragon, and just as unforgiving it seems. No wonder Epyon took a liking to him right away. The two of them have a lot in common. _

#

Stubbornly Wufei refused to turn his head even though he could still feel the king's gaze in the back of his neck.

"Hey, Wufei!" the boy next to him nudged him with his elbow.

_Ouch! _ Wufei scowled. "What…?"

"Someone is trying to get your attention!"

For a moment he thought his friend was referring to the king, but then when he realized that the older boy was gesturing to the left. He discovered Triton standing near the little wooden fence that enclosed the training grounds.

The brown-haired boy waved at him. "Good bye," he mouthed before turning to leave.

_Wait!_ Wufei quickly pushed his way through the crowd watching the tournament, and caught up with the older boy near the stables. "Are you leaving already?"

Triton nodded. "All packed and ready to go. Catherine says there is a town south of here. We might be able to reach it before nightfall tomorrow. It's a large town, if we are lucky we might be able to perform there for several days."

"You must see a lot, traveling around like that."

"That I do." The other boy agreed. "But sometimes I wish we had a place where we could stay for a while. We used to go back to Lhankor every year and spent the winter there in the capital. It was nice."

"You don't do that anymore?" Wufei asked.

Triton shook his head. "The new king made a lot of new laws. We now have to have special papers to enter the larger cities and even then they check us out like we were criminals."

"That sounds terrible." The younger boy frowned. "Why would the king do something like that? It's just not right."

His friend shrugged. "I think he just doesn't like traveling folk."

While they were talking the boys had slowly strolled back to where the little camp had been set up earlier this morning. But now, just like Triton had said, everything was packed up. The horses were already hitched and the wagons were lined up and ready to roll out.

"Come on, Triton!" Someone called out. "Hurry up, we are only waiting for you."

"Coming!"

"Where are Kin and K'ri?" Wufei looked around. He could not see the two felines anywhere.

Triton stepped toward the second to last wagon and lifted one corner of the heavy fabric that was covering it. Only then the younger boy realized that beneath the tarp was actually a large, sturdy wooden cage on wheels. Kin was asleep on a thick bed of fresh straw, while his brother was gnawing on a large bone. As Wufei stepped closer the large cat raised its head and bared his impressive fangs, daring him to just try taking his food. For good measurement he added a warning growl before turning his attention back to the bone.

"Triton, unless you want us to leave you behind, you'd better get your butt up here now."

The older boy gave a shrug as if to say: 'Sorry, but you heard it, I really have to go.'

Wufei nodded. "Maybe we'll meet again, some day."

"We might be back next year." Triton told him as he climbed up onto one of the wagons.

Wufei followed the small caravan all the way to the gate and from there watched until he lost sight of them. He had only met Triton earlier this morning, but it felt like he was saying 'good bye' to an old friend. Suddenly the boy understood what Catherine meant when she said: _And you would finally be able to make friends._

It had to be hard to meet new people and befriend them only to move on and have to leave them behind a day or two later.

####

Carefully Wufei set the freshly filled inkwell down on his desk, then pushed it all the way to the far side, where it couldn't accidentally get knocked over and spilled. The boy had almost finished writing down the school rules, when he had run out of ink and he had to go to fetch more.

As he slipped back into his seat, Wufei's eyes caught the thick leather-bound book to his right, the one with the gilded picture of Shenlong, the most powerful of the five main gods, embossed on the cover. As he studied the image he couldn't help but wonder how strong Shenlong actually was. After watching Epyon and Leo battle on Mount Haku he couldn't imagine anything even more powerful than those two dragons.

A rap on wood ribbed the young boy from his musings.

"Yes?"

He turned his head as the door opened to reveal Instructor Noin.

"May I come in?"

"Yes, of course." Quickly Wufei jumped up to clear the spare chair by the window. "Please have a seat."

"Thank you." The young woman smiled softly. "You had a bit of a bad day yesterday, from what I understand. Feeling better today?"

He nodded. "Yes, I think so. were you the one who took me back to my room last night?"

"No, that would have been Lord Zechs. When I didn't find you in your room he helped me search the grounds."

"Lord Zechs, the king's bodyguard? "

"Yes, you gave us a bit of a start there, disappearing like that."

"I'm sorry."

"Do not worry about it. Most importantly we found you safe and sound. But to tell the truth I did not come here just to check on your wellbeing. Headmistress Une sent me."

"Am I in trouble again?"

"Not as far as I know. The king will be speaking to the senior pupils soon, and he requested that you should be present as well."

Wufei frowned slightly. "But I'm not a senior pupil. In fact I'm not even a real trainee yet..."

Noin shrugged. "Do not ask me, I'm just the messenger."

"Instructor Noin, may I ask you something?"

"Umm sure."

"Do you know the king well? I mean personally, from the time before he became the king? You and he were at the shrine at the same time, were you not?"

"Well, yes and no. He was still a trainee when I started my studies, that's true. But things were very different at that time," she explained.

"Different how?"

"Not much time had passed since the Rommefeller Empire attacked and conquered Sanq. It was a very tense period. People worried the war might spread and the new Emperor would be daring enough to even attack Galados. So every able-bodied soldier, especially dragon knights and even those who had not quite finished their training yet, were sent north to patrol the border. So while I was being taught here at the shrine his majesty and the other senior cadets trained up in Eldor Province. I only saw him once or twice when they visited the dragon shrine. From what I have heard, though he was even then a very skilled fighter, sharp witted and a natural leader."

"How so?" the boy wanted to know.

"Well, as it has been told, one time he and 3 of 4 of his fellow cadets got separated from the main group while on patrol. While they were looking for a place to set up camp for the night, they came across a train of refugees from Sanq who were being attacked by imperial troops. A group of two dozen or so enemy soldiers had crossed into Galados territory on their pursuit. it is said that his highness instantly took charge. He sent one of other cadets back to find the main patrol while he and the other's prepared an attack..."

"Against two dozen soldiers?"

"Yes. He knew they had little chance of surviving a head-on battle, so instead he applied different tactics. He and his followers used their dragons to set trails of fire between the fugitives and their attackers. With their horses frightened and confused by the flames and blinded by smoke, the imperial soldiers soon got disoriented and separated from one another. For the dragons, unfazed by the fire, it was easy to track them down one by one. By the time the rest of the patrol unit arrived at the scene most of the imperial soldiers had already been slain or captured."

"And the refugees?"

"Made it safely to the nearest city."

"Because he is brave, and a good fighter his majesty the late king choose him for his successor?"

"I can't be sure, but I imagine that is one reason. But it might also have helped that he descends from a long and ancient line of dragon knights. It is said that his bloodline can be traced back all the way to the original knights."

Wufei's eyes went wide. "You mean the knights who formed the alliance that defeated the first Romefeller Emperor?"

Just as instructor Noin was about to nod the bell in the south tower started to ring.

"Oh dear, it's the assembly bell already. You'd better change quickly and hurry down. It would not be good to make his Highness wait."

###

The great hall fell completely silent as the king, flanked by the headmistress and his bodyguard, stepped through the wide open doors.

Looking down the line of trainees standing in front of him at attention, Treize could see himself in those youngsters. He could still remember the time when he stood here, full of expectations, hoping desperately that the king would call out his name, and the disappointment when it didn't happen. Eventually, of course, he **had** been chosen as a member of the elite Royal Guard and was sent to the royal palace to complete his training there under the guidance of the very competent, but equally strict General Bonaparte.

He wondered if any of those young men…and women... realized that, compared to being a Royal Guard trainee, life at the shrine was like child's play. And even if they knew, would it really make a difference? It wouldn't have for him.

The king cleared his throat. "Let us begin by telling you how impressed we were by everything you have shown us today. Over these past four years we have been following your progress and growth. We are convinced that the future will be bright for Galados, protected by a new generation of Dragon Knights such as yourselves."

The instructors applauded and Treize waited for the noise to quiet down before he continued. "Our decision did not come lightly. We have thought about it long and hard, but we finally came to the conclusion that each of every one of you can only benefit from another year of training here at The Dragon Shrine."

A surprised murmur went through the room. Even Lady Une seemed astonished. It was rather unusual for the king to not promote at least one or two of the pupils to Royal Guard trainees. Once again Treize waited for everyone to quiet down before he went on.

"But do not let our decision discourage you, instead let it be your motivation to try even harder. We are convinced that someday you will make fine Dragon Knights, if not even Royal Guards."

The king turned his head slightly. For a brief moment his gaze rested on Wufei, who was standing in the very end of the lineup. The boy didn't seem to notice, his eyes were looking straight ahead. Treize had asked for Wufei to attend the assembly because he figured it was the best way to keep him from running off again before he was finished telling him what he had to say.

"Before letting you return to your training, we would like to give you a few words of advice. No matter where the future may lead you from here, every once in a while pause to make sure that you are still on the right path. Listen to the people around you, because they might know you better then you do yourself.  
>Thus far we have always thought of us as a just and competent ruler. Nevertheless, something we were told the other day made us take a good look at us and ask some very uncomfortable questions. Unfortunately not all questions have an easy answer. We <strong>do<strong> realize that as the king we are expected to be perfect, to know everything and always make the right decisions. But, truth be told, we are in the end only human and as such we are bound to make mistakes. Every once in a while we will even make a bad choice that we later regret. However, what we **can** do is accept responsibilities for all of our actions, learn from those mistakes, and surround us with people who have the courage to stop us when we are about to make a bad choice. And therefore…"

Treize walked down the line of trainees, stopped in front of Wufei and went down on one knee.

Another collective gasp went through the room, and Wufei had to force himself not to take a step back. Wide-eyed he looked at the king who was kneeling in front of him, his head bowed. When he had been told to join the older trainees in the great hall, the boy had been convinced that Treize had called upon him to reprimand him in front of everybody. He certainly never expected anything like this.

"We can only express our deepest regrets for what happened to your village and your family. And we agree that it was inexcusable," the king spoke. "Although there is nothing we can do to change what happened, we… no **I** hope that you can forgive me and come with me to the royal palace." As Treize raised his head he had a ghost of a smirk on his lips. "I want you to understand, however, that this invitation comes with one condition attached. If you choose to accept, I expect that you continue to be frank and honest with me. I do not want you be afraid to speak your mind now that you know who I am."

There was a long moment of silence. It took Wufei a while to comprehend what he had been asked. But finally the boy nodded and declared firmly: "I accept!"

###

"Your Highness, what in the name of Shenlong were you thinking?" Zechs blurted out as soon as the doors to the king's quarters had closed behind them and the two of them were finally alone. He had been caught by surprise, just as everyone else had been, with what had just happened in the great hall. The king's idea of asking Wufei Chang to return to the royal palace with them seemed to have come out of nowhere.

It wasn't that he didn't like the lad, but… "The boy is still much too young. You can't just turn him over to General Bonaparte at his age."

"Worry not; I have no intention of doing anything of the sort. I want the boy by my side, where I can watch over him as he grows up."

"With all due respect, Your Highness, considering all the duties and responsibilities you already have to deal with, do you really think you still have time to raise a child?"

"Of course not." Treize replied smoothly. "That's why you will be taking care of him."

The younger man's eyes went wide. "Me? You can not be serious, Your Highness."

"Do I look like I am jesting?" the king asked.

_No, he certainly does not sound like it._ Zechs swallowed. Then his eyes narrowed. "I am your personal body guard, not a nursemaid."

"If I thought that the boy required a nursemaid I would hire one for him, however, I think what he really needs right now is a mentor."

"I'm not exactly the ideal father figure either," the younger man pointed out.

"Actually, I think you are perfect. You grew up without family yourself. You should know better than anybody else how he feels."

"But, Your Highness…"

"No buts," Treize raised his hand to cut Zechs off. "Sit down."

The fair-haired knight sighed inwardly as he complied, and the king settled down in the chair across from him.

"Everything I told the boy I truly meant, but it is not the only reason why I'm interested in him. I'm sure you too have realized that he isn't your average child. And the connection between him and Nataku is anything but typical. I mean, how old where you when you were able to summon Leo for the very first time?"

"I believe I was just about thirteen."

"And it was only after more than a year of training." Treize added. "For a child at such a young age and without any training to instinctively summon his dragon for protection is something… something unheard of. And we don't even know yet what other powers that boy might possess. Powers that might only manifest themselves after he and his dragon become bonded. The only thing worse than not taking advantage of such potential would be to allow someone else to do so."

"I suppose you are right," Zechs finally agreed. "Should I have the men prepare for our departure, then?"

"Not quite yet. There are a few things I still have to take care of. But first I'm going to take a walk. By myself... Don't worry, I won't leave the grounds. I just need to be alone for a while."

The younger knight nodded in acknowledgment. "What would you like me to do while you are gone, Your Highness "

"I don't know. Go spend some time with old friends; Instructor Noin for example? You might not see one another again before next year." While he was speaking the king had stepped behind the wooden privacy screen and started to disrobe.

Those ceremonial outfits were created for show, but most certainly not for convenience. He understood the necessity of wearing them for official occasions, but he could never understand how some people dressed like that all the time. Or perhaps he just had too much of the blood of a soldier running through his veins to truly feel comfortable wearing anything but a uniform.

"Meet me later in the inner garden."

"As you wish, you Majesty."

The body guard left the room, Treize should hear the door close behind him. He threw his cape over his shoulders, fastening it with the little gold clasp, and took one last glance into the mirror. Casual dressed or not, one still had to look presentable.

##

A few minutes later the king was strolling leisurely through the shrine's gardens. He loved the combination of colorful plants and beautiful statues the architects had used to create a atmosphere of tranquility. The air was heavy with the aroma of flowering herbs.

Neatly trimmed cypress hedges, taller than any man, provided relative privacy for anyone relaxing on one of the many stone benches.

The king smiled as he settled down one just one of those benches. He could still remember the times he had spent here with a fellow pupil, boy or girl, holding hands, stealing a first shy kiss...

###

"Hey, Chang?"

Wufei was on his way to the herb garden, on an errand for the healer, when he heard someone call out for him from behind. Recognizing Alex' voice, he decided to pay no heed to him; there was no time now for quarreling.

The older trainee, however, would not be ignored.

"Chang, wait up!"

A rock about the size of a ducks' egg, found its target, the back of the boy's head.

Angrily Wufei spun around, his eyes sparking with fury. Alex was not alone. At his side was another cadet about his age with dark hair."

"What happened? Now that you are the king's ward, is it suddenly beneath you to talk to the likes of us?"

"I never said that!" The furious glow in the boy's eyes only intensified.

###

Treize wasn't sure how much time had passed when he suddenly heard voices from the other side of the hedge. He was about to clear his throat to make his presence known when he recognized one of those voices.

"Why don't you just leave me alone?" Young Wufei sounded annoyed. "You always thought I shouldn't be here to begin with. So, this should make you happy. I will be gone by tonight."

Someone snorted. "About that. Can you believe, Alex, the king choose this little nobody who isn't even tall enough to pull a longsword from its scabbard, over someone who is actually skilled in swordplay and horsemanship."

"Are you referring to yourself?"

"I **happen** to have the best fighting scores of all the pupils here at the shrine."

"Yes, and I am the only close to matching him," a third voice added, apparently belonging to the one addressed as Alex.

Quietly Treize moved a few cypress branches aside with his hand and peeked through the opened it created in the hedge. He could see Wufei and two much older students on the other side of the dirt path, and he remembered seeing their faces earlier that morning during the tournament. The two larger boys had Wufei backed against one of the large dragon statues, but the lad didn't look too intimidated.

"I reckon my father was right,: our new king is a fool," one of them snorted.

"He is **not **a fool. But maybe you are."

Even from where he was standing, Treize could see the furious sparkle in Wufei's eyes.

"You little rat!"

The older student tried to grab Wufei by the back of his robe, but the boy easily sidestepped the attack."

"Then tell me, Chang, what makes you so special that he picked you while telling everyone else we aren't good enough yet to serve him?"

"Perhaps it's not your fighting skills his highness objected to..." another voice joined the conversation.

Zechs Merquise was standing to the right, almost out of the kings line of view, his arms crossed in front of his chest, as so he had been there, listening for a while. "...but rather you complete lack of any other qualities fitting of a royal knight."

"My Lord?"

"Have both your parents and your instructors failed in teaching you the proper code of knightly conduct? Or do the two of you consider it honorable to gang up on a little boy?"

Zechs turned toward Wufei. "And what are you doing here? Have you already finished packing up your belongings?"

The boy swallowed "I was asked to fetch fresh herbs for the healer. There have been some injuries during this morning's battles."

"Then go, before you get yourself into any more trouble than you already are."

"Yes, My Lord."

Only after the boy was well out of earshot did the tall knight turn his attention back to the other two cadets. "And you mark my words...I will let you go off free this time, but should I ever hear of you giving the lad a hard time again you will be answering to me. Did I make myself clear?"

"Yes, My Lord."

"Perfectly, My Lord."

"Then get your sorry asses out of my sight before I change my mind and teach you two a lesson right now and here."

Treize's lips curved into something between a smirk and a smile as he watched the two bullies scurry off. Zechs Merquise waited until they were out of sight before he continued on his way, heading further down the path that led deeper into the gardens.

##

"And here I was beginning to think you didn't like the boy."

Zechs' head snapped around, his eyes narrowing slightly as he noticed the king.

"You were here, watching all along? And yet you didn't step in?"

Treize gave a tiny shrug as he dropped back onto the bench he had been sitting on earlier. "You beat me to it before I had a chance. However, I thought our little dragon protégée was holding his own quite nicely before you came along. Besides, as I told you already, I have no intention of coddling him. Now about those two... trouble makers." Treize patted the bench beside him, gesturing for his bodyguard to join him. "If I am not mistaken one of them is the son of Lord Mueller."

Zechs nodded as he settled down beside the king. "And the father of the one he called Alec was his Lordships right hand man."

"Hmm..." A pensive expression crosses the king's face. "I shall have Lady Une keep a close eye on those two."

"You personally permitted Mueller's acceptance to the shrine, are you having second thoughts now?"

Treize turned his head, looking at the younger knight from the side. "I still believe that a son should not be held responsible for the sins of his father, but this might be a case of the apple not falling too far from the tree. I'd really hate for that part of history to repeat itself, Zechs."

"That part of history' as the king called it, happened shortly after his inauguration. Zechs was at the king's side the day when word reached the palace that Lord Mueller, a provincial lord in the north of Galados, allowed his men to plunder villages that were short or late on their taxes. In one case in which a village resisted he ordered the execution of two dozen men and boys. At the royal court reaction to the news as mixed. A few days later Treize arranged a night meeting so secretive that Zechs could not even tell if the stranger he had taken to the king's quarters had been a man or woman.

Soon thereafter news of Lord Mueller's death reached the royal pace. Word had it that his Lordship had been thrown off his horse while on a ride through the countryside and broken his neck. A plausible scenario, yes, but Zechs did not believe in coincidence.

He remembered Treize's reaction well when he confronted him.

"You ordered his execution, did you not?"

The king looked at him for a long moment, never denying the accusation, before he suggested. "Let's take a walk, Zechs, shall we?"

The body guard was still waiting for some kind of explanation as they strolled down the flower lined path in the royal garden.

"Have you ever heard about the sheep farmers in Eldor Province?" Treize finally asked. "Probably not, so let me tell you about them. It's said that people have been raising sheep in Eldor since the beginning of time. Some of the best wool and fabric hails from that province. The farmers raise their herds on the steep hillsides where the grass is lush and plentiful. Nothing unusual about that, I suppose, but what is unique is that those sheep are protected not by dogs, but by wolves, the very predator they are supposed to guard against." Treize paused briefly, then continued his tale. "The farmers will forage the woods in spring for wolf dens. When they find a litter they will take it home and raise the pups amongst their sheep. As they grow up those wolves will adapt to their new family, they will guard and protect them with their lives, even against other wolves.

It is an ancient technique those sheep farmers have sworn by for generations. But it isn't fool proof. Every once in a while there will be one wolf that suddenly returns to his beastly ways and slaughters a sheep. If that happens the farmers have no choice but to kill that wolf, for once it has tasted sheep's blood it will always crave more. Zechs..." The king looked at him firmly. "I take no pride in what happened, but it needed to be done. I can and will not allow any of my man to turn into a beast that attacks the very people it has sworn to protect."

* * *

><p>T.B.C.<p>

Author's Note: In addition to writing I have been playing around with my legos lately. In fact I'm creating some MOCs (MyOwnCreations) based on Dragon King. It will probably take as long to complete as the story will take to write. For the moment I have about half of the Capital of Galados build along with several of the characters.  
>Unfortunately doesn't allow me to post links inside the story, but you can find a link in my bios page if you would like to check out my creations. Let me know what you think.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

A big Thank You goes to KT who is taking time out of her busy schedule to help me proofread this story.

* * *

><p><strong>The Dragon King<strong>

**Book 1- Of New Kings and New Friends**

**Chapter 6**

The following day the royal visit ended in very much the same way it began; with yet another assembly in the outer yard.

The king, dressed once again in his dark blue riding pants and cloak, addressed the crowd briefly. He offered a few more words of advice and encouragement to his future Dragon Knights and thanked the instructors and headmistress for their work before climbing into his carriage.

Zechs Merquise closed the door behind His Majesty, mounted his white stallion and nodded at the carriage's driver and the waiting guards to let them know they were ready to leave. Slowly the royal possession started to move.

Noin watched until the king's carriage passed through the heavy gates of the dragon shrine, before heading back inside with the rest of the instructors and trainees. She threw one last look back over her shoulder to see the last of the royal guardsmen clear the gates. Zechs Merquise, who had been riding alongside the carriage, was already out of sight.

The two of then had said their good-byes the day before, when he came to visit her in her quarters for a glass of wine. They had spent some time conversing about her work at the shrine and his time at the royal palace, but quickly realized that there was little else to talk about. It was odd really, for they had spent many nights talking while they were still trainees, and never once ran out of things to say.

_I reckon it's as they say_, she thought. _The more time you spend apart the fewer things you find in common. _

Before leaving Zechs had told her:  
><em><strong>"You know, should you ever feel like joining the Royal Guard there will be a spot open for you. His Highness says that he would be pleased to have someone of your abilities and training in the ranks."<strong>_

"_**Is that what he said?" she had asked. "And what about you?"**_

"_**Me? Of course I too would be pleased to have you in the guard. The better skilled my men are the better we can protect the king. And Noin, you are, without a doubt THE best of the best."**_

"_**That is very flattering coming from your mouth, but I am very happy here at the shrine…for now at least."**_

"_**Of course," he had nodded. "I understand."**_

_Do you really?_ The young woman sighed inwardly. _For someone as bright as you are, you can be remarkably naïve and clueless, My Prince._

##

As the Dragon Shrine slowly faded in the distance Wufei suddenly was overcome by a growing feeling of anxiety, and he couldn't help but wonder if he had made the right decision.

"What is it with the gloomy face?" Treize, sitting across from the boy inside the luxurious, velvet lined carriage, one long leg draped over the other, looked at him questioningly. "It is too beautiful a day to look so glum."

"I don't know…I just…" Wufei sighed. It was difficult to explain. Part of him couldn't help but feel upset about leaving; after all, this place had been his home for a long time. But at the same time he could not deny the excitement and curiosity that was growing in him with every passing moment.

The king smiled softly, knowingly. He seemed to understand, even without an explanation. "It will be all right, Wufei," he assured the boy. "It is not like you are never going to see your friends again. However, if you **do** feel like changing your mind, you would do better tell me now while we still can turn around."

Wufei shook his head. "No, I do want to go with you…I'm sure."

Treize gave him another reassuring smile. "Worry not, it will be all right."

For a few moments the boy sat quietly, dangling his feet and watching the scenery outside the window pass by, then he turned his head. "How…umm… How long will we be traveling, You Highness?"

"About three days." the tawny-haired man replied. "But I really would prefer it if you would just drop the formality; at least while we are in private. I would like you to think of me less as the king and more as a guardian and friend."

"Thank you. I will try," Wufei promised

Once again there was a long pause before he spoke again. "Instructor Noin has told me that the royal palace is really big."

"She is correct about that."

"Bigger even than the Dragon Shrine."

"Right again," Treize confirmed.

"How much bigger?"

"Well, at least ten times the size I would say."

Wufei's yaw nearly dropped. "Ten times? But that is… That is like a whole town. Do you not ever get lost in a place this big?"

"Not anymore, I do not. But I do have to admit there have been times in the past…" The king smirked, an amused sparkle in his eyes. _This is promising to be a very entertaining trip home._

"Truly?"

"Truly!" Leaning in the tawny-haired man lowered his voice in a conspiratorial manner as he told the boy: "You know, I was late to my own crowning ceremony, because the shortcut I decided to take turned out not to be as short as I had hoped. In fact, it was more like a dead-end, and I ended up getting hopelessly lost. Finally a guard, who noticed that I had walked passed him several times, took pity on me and showed me the way."

Wufei looked shocked for a few moments, then a smile started to tug on the corners of his mouth and finally he burst into loud laughter.

"Well, aren't I glad at least one of us finds my predicament amusing." Treize huffed, even though he was pleased that he had managed to cheer up the boy.

"I'm sorry." Wufei wiped a few tears from the corners of his eyes. "But it just seemed too funny."

"Oh I'm sure it was; not for my ministers of course who were just about to panic when I finally showed up, and not for me who had to explain my tardiness to my guests, either. But **they** seemed to be just as amused as you are. The Emir of Narath told me that I was lucky to show up when I did, because they were starting to become bored and were just about to crown somebody…anybody, just to get the ceremony over with. And the king of Lhankor insisted that he had the perfect solution for my problem."

"Oh?"

"_I once had a wolfhound,_ he said. _The best tracking dog you will ever find, but not the most obedient of animals. He would constantly run off and the servants could never find him. So we ended up tying a bell onto his collar and his hiding days were over."_

Wufei chuckled quietly as he imagined the king wearing a bell around his neck.

"He actually went as far as to send me a little, golden bell after he had returned home."

The boy smiled for a little longer, but suddenly he grew serious. "The king of Lhankor; he is dead now, is he not?"

"That's right," Treize confirmed solemnly.

"He must have been really old then."

"No, actually he was not **that** old. He fell very ill about two years ago and never recovered from his illness. It was a terrible loss for Lhankor. He was a good man and a great ruler."

"Oh, I see." Wufei nodded. "Triton told me that Lhankor has a new king now."

"Triton?" the king echoed.

"Someone I met. He was with the troupe that was at the shrine during your visit."

"Oh, that is right, the boy with the saber cats."

"That is him." Wufei gave another nod. "He said that the new king does not like traveling folk."

"Ah, yes," Treize confirmed. "I've heard rumors of that sort, as well."

"But why is that?"

"Well, I really cannot say for sure, to be honest," Treize admitted after thinking about it for a few moments. "But I know he is not the first king who feels that way. If I remember correctly it was a former ruler of Beregoth who went as far as to outlaw any kind of street performances. He wanted his people to be working instead of wasting time watching plays and shows."

Wufei frowned. "But no one can work all the time. People have to rest sometimes."

"You are absolutely correct." Treize agreed. "Most kings want their subjects to be happy, because happy subjects are loyal subjects. But a full stomach and a roof over one's head is not enough. People also want to have fun and enjoy themselves. King Octavius seemed to understand that very well. Unfortunately, the same can not be said for his brother."

"His brother?"

The king nodded. "King Dekim, the new ruler of Lhankor and King Octavius were half brothers, they were born to different mothers but had the same father."

"Hmm…" The boy's brows knitted as he seemed to think hard about something. Then he looked up at Treize. "King Octavius did not have any children? Is that why his brother took the throne after him?"

"No, actually it is a little more complicated than that." The tawny-haired man told him. "Octavius has two sons; twins. But since neither of the princes is dragon bonded they are not eligible to take the throne." Since no one seemed to know for sure if that was more than just a rumor Treize didn't see any reason to mention that the king supposedly had another, illegitimate son.

"Dragon bonded?" Wufei asked puzzled. "I don't think I know what that word means."

Treize smiled softly. "It's just another word for being a Dragon Knight."

"Then one doesn't have to be born a prince to become king?"

"No, not necessarily. It is usually the king who will determine who will take the throne after him. If he does not have any eligible heirs of his own he may pick anyone he wishes, nobleman or commoner."

"I have been told you became king because you come from a long line of dragon knights."

"I suppose so. But I **do** hope my capabilities had something to do with it as well," the king's smile turned into a amused smirk.

"But one has to be a Dragon Knight to become king?"

"That is correct."

"Why?"

"Why? There are probably a number of reasons, but the most important one is that it was part of the original treaty that was made between Shenlong and the first dragon knights on Mount Haku. Dragons and humans have not always been living peacefully together in the past."

Wufei nodded. He had learned about it in school and read books about it.

"A dragon bonded king is more likely to uphold the pact and with it keep peace between the two races for centuries to come. But having a Dragon Knight for a ruler has other advantages as well. As we probably know, humans become wiser and more experienced with age. There is just no way that a king who can only rule for a few decades could ever gain as much experience as someone able to sit on the throne for a few centuries or so. I think the best example for that is the current Emir of Narath. He has been in power for nearly two and a half centuries now and during his reign he has slowly turned Narath into one of the wealthiest kingdoms."

"That seems to make sense," Wufei admitted. "But…"

"But?" Treize raised one eyebrow.

"What if the king doesn't care about his people and doesn't do what he is supposed to do? His kingdom would be in for a long, long time of suffering."

"You wouldn't be talking about me, now would you?" The tawny-haired man smirked.

Blushing slightly Wufei averted his gaze. "I wasn't. I'm just saying that not every king is a good ruler."

"I agree. But usually a ruler like that would not sit on his throne for very long. The people will only take so much, even from their king, before they begin to make their displeasure known." _Just the way it is happening in Lhankor, _Treize added in his mind. Rumors of unrests and looming civil war in the once so peaceful kingdom had been spreading for weeks now. "Alright, I think we had enough history and politic lessons for one day. Shall we talk about something else for a while?"

The boy nodded in agreement. "There **is** something else I wanted to ask you."

"Oh, really?" _And here I thought for just a moment he might have actually run out of questions. _"Go ahead, ask."

"I was wondering… what is expected of me once we get to the royal palace?"

"Expected of you?" The king blinked.

"I mean, what am I supposed to do? I do not believe I could be of much help to you…yet."

There was such seriousness in the boy's voice that Treize had to try hard not to laugh. Somehow he managed to keep a straight face as he replied: "I will keep that in mind. But tell me, what have you been doing while you were at the Shrine?"

"Hmm…Instructor Noin tutored me every other day in swordplay and horsemanship. I also took lessons in writing and arithmetic and history. The rest of the time was my own. I read, or sometimes watched the older pupils on the training grounds. Unless of course I was being punished and Headmistress Une made me help in the stables."

Treize chuckled softly. "Oh, that sounds familiar."

Wufei looked at him puzzled.

"Lady Une was already the headmistress when I was training at the shrine," the king explained. "Her methods have not changed much since then, it seems. I have heard Zechs was cleaning stables quite frequently, probably not as often as I did, though."

The boy's eyes widened in disbelieve. "Even **you** got punished?"

"You had better believe it." Treize smirked at him. "After all, I was just an ordinary trainee back then. But if I hadn't become king, I probably could have been the best stable hand in all of Galados."

#

The royal caravan traveled steadily for most of the day, stopping only once to let the horses rest and eat a quick meal, at about mid-day. All the while Zechs had been riding alongside the carriage, never more than a length behind or ahead of them.

Twilight was beginning to fall over the countryside when Treize knocked at the carriage's window to get his bodyguard's attention.

"You Highness?" The tall, fair-haired man had to lean down from his mount to face the king.

"Have a horse readied for me, and another one for Wufei." Treize ordered. "The three of us will be taking a little detour. We will catch up with the escort some time tomorrow morning."

Zechs opened his mouth and for a brief moment it seemed as though he was going to object, but then he just nodded. "As you wish, You Highness."

As the bodyguard rode off to relay the king's orders, Treize turned toward his young charge. "You can ride a horse on your own, can you not?"

"But of course." The boy seemed almost offended by the question.

Moments later the carriage stopped. By the time Wufei and the king had exited the coach, two mounts stood saddled and ready for them. While Zechs put together some water and provisions for them for the night, the king instructed the leader of the escort on where to meet up with them in the morning.

"Where are we going?" the boy asked as one of the guard helped him into the saddle. The snow-white gelding was rather large, much larger than any of the horses he used to ride at his village, and it was difficult for him to straddle the steeds broad back with his short legs.

"There is something I want to show you," the king replied.

"Show me what?"

Treize gave him a little smile. "You will see."

That wasn't exactly the answer the boy had hoped for. Once they set off he moved his mount next to Zechs', tugging on his reins until the two horses were walking at the same pace. "Do **you** know where we are heading?"

Without even looking at him the young man shook his head. "No."

It was obviously a lie, since Zechs had taken the lead without ever asking for directions. Wufei huffed. _Fine! If you don't want to tell me I'm not going to beg. _

His resolve, however, lasted no more a few miles. Curiosity finally got the better of him. Dropping back until he was riding next to the king he looked up at the tall, tawny-haired man. "Couldn't you at least give me a hint? Just one?"

Treize gazed to the right and left then leaned toward the boy. "Can you keep a secret?" he ask, his voice hushed.

Wufei nodded quickly. "Yes, Sir."

"So can I." the king replied with a wink and a wide smile.

Wufei's brows narrowed in frustration. It just didn't seem fair.

They rode for what seemed like forever. The sun had nearly completely set by the time the three riders reached a long, narrow canyon. Awestruck the boy gazed up at the bare rock walls that seemed to rise all the way into the heavens. He had been wondering why the king had chosen to travel on horseback, but finally he understood. This chasm was simply too narrow for any dragon, even Nataku, to safely spread its wings. After a few miles the canyon made a sharp bend and not far beyond it lay what looked like a large cave.

"Here we are!" Treize announced. He reined his mount to a halt next to Zech's stallion and Wufei stopped a little behind the two of them.

As he dismounted the boy could hear the soft sound of dripping water, and he frowned. _That's the big secret,_ he wondered,_ a dark and damp cave?_

"Come on!" The king gestured for Wufei to follow him while Zechs was still tying up the horses on a large patch of soft grass just outside the cave.

"But…We did not bring any torches, did we?"

"There is no need." Treize assured him with a mysterious smile. "We will have something much better and more dependable than torches." He looked at the boy. "You are not afraid, are you?"

Wufei's frown turned into a scowl. "Of course not," he huffed.

* * *

><p>T.B.C.<p>

Author's Note: In addition to writing I have been playing around with my legos lately. In fact I'm creating some MOCs (MyOwnCreations) based on Dragon King. It will probably take as long to complete as the story will take to write. For the moment I have about half of the Capital of Galados build along with several of the characters.  
>Unfortunately doesn't allow me to post links inside the story, but you can find a link in my bios page if you would like to check out my creations. Let me know what you think and check back frequently as I will be adding more stuff as I build it<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

A big Thank You to KT who is taking time out of her busy schedule to help me proofread this story.

* * *

><p><strong>The Dragon King<strong>

**Book 1- Of New Kings and New Friends**

**Chapter 7**

Despite the bravado in his voice Wufei could not completely suppress the butterflies in his stomach. _I am not afraid of the dark! I am not afraid of the dark! _He kept repeating those words in his mind like a mantra as he slowly, hesitantly followed the king into the cave.

Once inside he realized that the place was even larger than it appeared from the outside, leading deep, deep into the mountain. But what amazed him even more than the size was the fact that it was not dark at all. The entire cave was cast in a soft bluish light. It seemed as though hundreds of small torches were lining the walls. But as the boy stepped closer he noticed that it was actually the walls themselves that were glowing. A gasp of awe broke from his lips. When he turned his head to face the king he saw that the older man was smiling.

"What do you think?"

"It's beautiful," Wufei breathed. "But how… Is it magic?"

Still smiling the tawny-haired man shook his head. "No magic, I assure you. The light is created by little worms living in the rocks."

"Worms?" the boy echoed in disbelief as he stepped closer to get a better look. The walls were covered in some kind of sparkling, clear crystal. And indeed, upon closer inspection Wufei could see countless little worm-like creatures wiggling their way through the rocks. Slowly, cautiously, he reached out to touched the wall, and let out another gasp of surprise when he discovered that the stone felt slightly warm beneath his fingertips. "How do they make light?"

"I'm not quite sure about the **how**," Treize admitted with a shrug. "But I can tell you **why**."

Wufei turned his head, his fingertips still ghosting over the illuminated walls. "Why?" he asked.

"If you look closely you will notice that not all of them are glowing. Those that are, are the males trying to attract potential mates. The females will choose those with the strongest light. During mating season in late summer this place lights up like a ballroom."

"Truly? I have never seen anything like it." Wufei turned to Zechs who, after taking care of the horses and unloading their provisions and sleeping rolls, had finally caught up with them. "Have **you**?"

"No, not until His Highness showed them to me the first time, about two years ago," the fair-haired knight replied. "I had heard of glow-worms before, but I had never actually seen them."

"Glow-worms? Is that what they are called?"

"That's right," the king confirmed. "There are only a very few places suitable for them to live. This cave is probably the only one in Galados large enough for humans to enter. But I've heard that there are several caves in the High Mountains of Lhankor and Beregoth that are much, much larger. In fact it is said that female dragons preferred glow-worm caves to build their nests in. The soft light and consistent warmth must have been perfect for their eggs and hatchlings.

"The worms are also creating heat?"

"No actually, the heat comes from a hot spring that is running through the mountain," Treize explained and his bodyguard added.

"Glow-worms can only thrive in a certain kind of crystal, which only grows in warm, moist caves."

"Oh, I see," Wufei nodded. "The glow-worms like the crystals and the dragons liked the warmth as well as the light. Too bad there aren't any dragons left in Galados."

Treize laughed. "Actually I think we should consider ourselves lucky. If this cave had been occupied already, our journey might have ended here. There isn't anything more ferocious than a mother dragon protecting her offspring. Well then, shall we set up camp a little deeper in the cave, where it is warmer?"

#

Wufei couldn't take his eyes off the sparkling walls as he followed the two Dragon Knights deeper and deeper into the mountain. At one point the path they were following split into two. Directing them to the right, the king led his fellow travelers into a smaller cave.

"This is it. A perfect place to spend the night, would you not agree?"

As he looked around in the chamber the boy realized that the sound of rushing water was stronger here than it had been at the entrance to the cave. "I can hear water."

"I told you there is a hot spring running through mountain, did I not?" Treize nodded. "It is breaking the surface right around the corner from here, forming a perfect pool. Would you like to take a bath while we set up camp?"

"A bath?"

The king gave another nod. "Let me show you."

Treize had not been exaggerating when he said that the spring was just around the corner. In the very back of the small cave was an opening in the rock wall, partially obstructed by a large stalactite hanging from the ceiling, but still wide enough for a grown man to squeeze by with little effort. Behind it lay yet another, even smaller chamber. In its center, a large rock pool filled with water reminded Wufei of the hot spring his mother had taken him to when he was little. Of course the spring near its village had been outside, not inside a cave like this. This was prettier though. The glow from the walls reflected on the water's surface and vice versa, bathing the cavern in a soft bluish light. The air was warm from the water's heat and thick with steam.

"Hop in," Treize encourage the boy. "But do not stay too long or you will feel lightheaded. I will go and help Zechs."

Wufei waited until the tawny-haired man was completely out of sight before he quickly started to strip. Cautiously he first dipped one toe into the spring then stepped in. The water was hot but not scalding, and once his body got used to it it felt perfect.

Leaning his head against the rocky rim of the pool the boy closed his yes. He wiggled his toes under water as him mind drifted off. _…glowing worms that live in crystal walls, caves were dragons once came to lay eggs…_ his head was almost spinning from everything he had learned today. _Nataku, I have so much to tell you next time I see you. _For a brief moment Wufei wondered if she would like this place. He was inclined to call her,but didn't know if it was safe to perform a summoning inside this cave.

The boy wasn't sure how much time had passed when he heard footsteps. Slowly he cracked open his eyes to find Zechs standing a few steps away.

"Here catch!" The fair-haired Dragon Knight threw him a soft piece of cloth and Wufei nearly had to jump to catch it before it fell into the water.

"A towel? Even though you had no idea where we were going, right?" The hint of sarcasm in the boy's voice was hard to miss.

"If you are around his Highness for long enough you will learn to always expect the unexpected." Zechs replied without missing a beat. "Get out now, unless you want us to go ahead and eat without you."

"No!" Wufei protested. "I'm hungry too."

"Hurry up then."

"I would, but…" The boy could feel himself blush. "At least turn around."

Rolling his eyes Zechs complied and started to walk away. "I assume you will find the way back on your own."

#

The camp the two men had set up while he was bathing was really no more than a few makeshift beds, made up of sagebrush and blankets. There was no need to light a fire since it was warm enough without it, and the cave protected them from the elements.

Dinner was a simple, but satisfying meal consisting of smoked fish, cheese and bread. In the end Wufei felt like he couldn't eat another bite.

"Ready to turn in for the night?" Treize asked.

"Already? But I'm not tired yet. I don't think I'll be able to fall asleep."

"Oh? Well, how about a nighttime story then? Do you think that might help?"

"Yes, please. That will most definitely help." The boy nodded enthusiastically.

"Zechs," Treize gave his bodyguard a most charming smile. "Would you do us the honor? I'm sure there must have been some tales you loved to hear when you were a child."

"I think not." The look on Zechs face left no doubt about what he thought of the king's suggestion.

"Very well," the older man shrugged. "Then I'll tell a story. And I think I know one you might really like, Wufei."

"What is the name?" the boy wanted to know.

"It is called 'The Dragon Princess'."

"I do not think I know that one."

"Well then, settle down and I will tell you."

The king waited for Wufei to slip beneath his blankets before he started:

"A long, long time ago, during a time when dragons still roamed this world, in a small kingdom lived a beautiful, young princess named Alana. The kingdom was so small and so poor that even the king and the queen had to work for their daily bread. Alana, who loved all creatures big and small, helped out wherever she could, and grew up happily.  
>Then the kingdom was struck by a terrible disease. Many people became sick and died, and the healers seemed helpless to do anything about it. One day even the queen herself fell ill, and the king immediately summoned the best healers in the land. One of them suggested that perhaps a piece of water crystal, a mysterious rock that could only be found deep within the Forbidden Forest and that was rumored to have magical powers, might be the only thing that could save the queen. There was just one problem. The Forbidden Forest was home to dragons and many other dangerous creatures. Still, desperate to save his wife the king sent out several of his bravest and strongest men, but neither of them ever returned.<br>After watching her mother getting sicker and sicker Princess Alana decided to set out on her own. Of course the king tried to stop her but she had already made up her mind. With her loyal steed Alana traveled for days before reaching the Forbidden Forest. It was a dark and gloomy place and it took all of her courage to enter it. That night the princess got caught in a mighty thunderstorm. She managed to find shelter in a cave, where she and her horse spent the rest of the night. The next morning, when she was about to continue her journey Princess Alana came across a large fallen tree that had been struck by lightning during the storm the night before. Alana was startled when she realized that the tree had fallen onto a large, dark-scaled dragon, pinning it beneath its heavy trunk. She had heard many tales of dragons attacking and killing humans, so her first reaction was to reach for her sword and slay the dangerous creature…"

Gasping in shock Wufei's fists clenched his blanket. Treize smiled at him gently. "Don't worry, the princess was not only beautiful but also a very kind person. Shall I continue?"

"Yes, please."

"Like I said, Princess Alana was a very kindhearted person, and once she looked into the dragon's eyes she could not help but feel sorry for him. So she sheathed her sword and tried to think of what to do. Leaving the creature there to die seemed even crueler than to just kill it. The tree was large and heavy. She hitched her horse to it, and together they were able to move it just far enough for the dragon to free itself.  
>Alana was brave and kindhearted but she was not reckless. She was well aware that the creature could assault her at any moment, so she stayed on guard and kept her hand on her weapon. But instead of attacking the dragon suddenly spoke to her in a human voice. He thanked her for saving him and asked what she wanted as a reward. Surprised the princess told him that she wasn't looking for any kind of reward, but she needed a piece of water crystal, and if he knew where to find it she was hoping that he could show her the way. He replied that his kind had been protecting the water crystals since the beginning of time and he could not give them to just anyone. However, if she would consider marrying and living with him, he would be willing to make an exception.<br>Alana agreed without hesitation. As long as she was able to save her mother and the other people in her kingdom she didn't care what would happen to her.  
>The dragon told her to follow him. Deep in the forest they came to a large, clear lake. The dragon dove into the water and returned with a beautiful blue crystal. As he handed the stone to Princess Alana he reminded her of her promise and told her that he would come to fetch her within a year. She assured him that she would be waiting for him and left the forest happily…"<p>

Wufei pulled his blanket tight around his shoulders as he stifled a yawn.

"Tired?" Treize asked. "Perhaps we should stop here for tonight and finish the story some other day."

The boy wanted to protest. He really wanted to know how the tale of the dragon princess ended, but his eyelids were already growing heavy. So he agreed.

"I'll go check on the horses," Zechs, who had been sitting quietly the whole time, suggested and the king nodded in silent acknowledgement.

When he returned the boy was fast asleep. There was no sign of his Highness but Zechs had a pretty good idea where he would find him. Sure enough, as he rounded the large stalactite that partially blocked the entrance to the hot spring, he could hear water splashing. Treize was sitting, submerged to his neck, in the warm pool, an expression of total contentment on his face.

"**This** is the real reason we came here, am I correct, Your Highness? Showing the boy the cave was only a convenient excuse."

"Look who is talking," the king smirked. "At least **I** try to take interest in his tutoring; where you on the other hand did not even want to tell the poor child a nighttime story."

Zechs huffed. "I will teach him how to ride his dragon when the time comes. I will even show him how to use his sword in battle. But I **do not tell** bedtime stories."

Treize threw his head back as he burst into deep, bubbling laughter. "Oh, Milliardo, I do love your prickliness."

Intentionally or unintentionally the older man called him once again by his birth name, but this time Zechs chose not to correct him. Instead he just let out another snort.

"So, are you just going to stand there or will you come in already? The spring is more than large enough for two people." Treize asked after a few moments.

With a quick glance over his shoulder to their campsite where Wufei was sleeping, Zechs replied: "What if the boy wakes?"

"I doubt that he will. It has been a very long and eventful day for him. He is probably exhausted." Treize responded. "And even if he does; he will only find two men sharing a bath. Nothing wrong with that, is there? Unless of course…." His lips curled into a sly smirk. "You had something else planned."

A faint hue of crimson stained the younger man's cheeks even as he glared daggers at the king. "With all due respect, You Highness, I do not like your sense of humor."

#

Zechs wasn't sure what woke him; perhaps one of his companions had stirred in their sleep. He was always been a light sleeper.

The fair-haired young man rolled onto his back. For a few long moments he stared at the glistering ceiling above him. With a little imagination one could almost convince himself that the glowing worms were actually stars that sparkled in the sky.

His mind wandered back to the remark Treize had made earlier. _**…unless of course you had something else planned… **__He always says things like that. I think he just likes to see me flustered._

Zechs was well aware that his Highness had an appetite for pretty young women… and men. He would have to be blind not to notice. Treize seemed to attract them like moths swarmed to the light. He could not say that he could blame them. There was just something about his Highness. Somehow he always managed to make anybody around him feel like the most important person in his life. Zechs knew it shouldn't bother him, but he could not help it. There was no denying that he liked Treize; the man was charming and attractive. But for that very reason he hated those flirtations. He knew that they weren't meant seriously and the last thing he wanted to become was just another name on the king's dance card.

Sighing inwardly the young man turned back onto his side. Only then he realized that Treize wasn't asleep either.

"Can't sleep?" the older man asked softly. "Another bad dream?"

Zechs shook his head. "No, that was not it." For some strange reason he never had nightmares when he slept outside.

"It is almost morning. Should we go outside and watch the sun rise?" Treize suggested.

"Hm…" Zechs grunted in agreement. "We should probably check on the horses anyway."

* * *

><p>T.B.C.<p>

Author's Note: In addition to writing I have been playing around with my legos lately. In fact I'm creating some MOCs (MyOwnCreations) based on Dragon King. It will probably take as long to complete as the story will take to write. For the moment I have about half of the Capital of Galados build along with several of the characters.

Unfortunately doesn't allow me to post links inside the story, but you can find a link in my bios page if you would like to check out my creations. Let me know what you think.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

A big Thank You to KT who is taking time out of her busy schedule to help me proofread this story.

* * *

><p><strong>The Dragon King<strong>

**Book 1- Of New Kings and New Friends**

**Chapter 8**

The morning sun was rising slowly from behind the mountains, bathing the canyon in a soft golden light. The two men sat silently, almost motionless, as their horses grazed peacefully nearby.

Without fully turning his head Treize watched his bodyguard for a few moments from the side. "You look troubled, Zechs," he finally spoke. "Would you like to talk about it?"

Zechs' yaws tightened slightly, in a gesture that showed surprise as well as defiance. "I do not know what you are talking about, You Highness."

_Of course not. _The older man sighed inwardly. "I am sorry; I suppose I must have been mistaken," he said, although he knew it was no mistake at all.

For weeks now the young dragon knight had seemed down and quieter than usual. Treize believed that living at the Royal Palace was bringing back too many painful memories, and he had figured that their little trip to the Dragon Shrine was going to make Zechs feel better. Apparently he was wrong. And of course, Zechs was as usual, too proud or too stubborn to talk about anything that was bothering him. Back when they were growing up Treize had found it so much easier to read the young prince, but as time passed Zechs had become quite skilled in hiding his emotions, even from him.

"We should leave soon if we want to get to the rendezvous point on time." Brushing away dirt and grass from his trousers as he rose, Zechs turned toward the cave. "I will go wake the boy."

The king nodded. "Then I will get the horses ready."

#

When he approached the cave in which they had been sleeping, Zechs could hear soft noises, and for a brief moment he assumed that Wufei had already woken. But when he reached the entrance he found the boy still curled up in his blankets, tossing and turning. Quiet sounds of distress broke from his lips as he obviously was fighting a nightmare.

With a few large strides the blond dragon knight was at the boy's side, dropping down to his knees next to the makeshift bed. "Wufei…Wufei!" he reached out and touched the boy's shoulder, shaking him gently. "Wake up, Wufei!"

Obsidian eyes flew open with a start. The kid looked disoriented for a moment but then he seemed to recognize Zechs.

"Are you alright? You seemed to be having a bad dream."

Wufei blushed slightly as he nodded and raised his hand to wipe a few tears from his face. "I'm sorry…"

"There is nothing to be sorry about," the dragon knight told him. "We will be leaving soon; His Highness is already saddling the horses. Go wash your face and get dressed while I break camp."

#

Treize was leaning down, about to untie the horses' legs, when Zechs' stallion rubbed his nose against his cloak, pushing and prodding as though he was searching for something.

The king smirked. He was quite sure he knew what the mount was looking for. Zechs was known to always carry pieces of dry bread in his pockets, leftovers from breakfast or supper, which he liked to feed to the horses.

"Sorry, but I am afraid you got the wrong person. I do not have anything for you." He extended his open hands to show that they were empty.

But the stallion, just as stubborn as his master it seemed, was unwilling to take no for an answer. He bent his neck, extended his soft upper lip and tried to pull off Treize's cloak-pin, in hopes that it might be edible.

"Alright, alright," the king finally laughed in defeat. "You win; I will go and get you your treat."

Still chuckling as he headed back into the cave, the tawny-haired dragon knight made himself a mental note to not let Zechs forget about this anytime soon. _And he actually has the nerves to lecture the boy about 'spoiling' his dragon._

"Please Sir, promise me not to tell His Highness about it."

Only yards from the entrance to their 'sleeping' cave Treize stopped dead in his track at the sound of Wufei's voice. _Don't tell me what?_

"As I have told you already," Zechs' voice answered. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. Nightmares are something you can do nothing about; it has nothing to do with strength or weakness. His Highness is well aware of that."

There was a moment of silence before Zechs continued, his voice unusually soft and compassionate. "It is so much easier to be strong during the day, is it not, as though the sunlight keeps the demons at bay that come to haunt you at night?

The king swallowed. _Milliardo!_

"I would like to ask you a question, Wufei. Did you ever find out what happened to your parents? ...After the attack on your village I mean."

Again there was a pause then Wufei replied quietly. "I am not sure what happened to them. I would like to think they are still alive though, somewhere. The soldiers that were sent to the village only found a couple of dozen bodies in the ruins. Most of them were so badly burned that the soldiers could not even tell if they were men or women, they said."

Treize clenched his teeth together so hard that his yaws hurt. _I wonder what is worse, _he asked himself, _not knowing what happened to your parents or watching your family being killing in front of your own eyes._

Slowly and without a noise the king retreated. The last thing he wanted was for Wufei or Zechs to discover that he had been listening in on their conversation.

###

"Nine or ten summers ago, you say?" The tall bearded man who owned the local tavern stroked his chin as he tried to think that far back. "No, I don't recall hearing anything about someone taking in a child back then. But then... that was not that long after Sanq fell and a lot of refugees came through here, even children. But I do not remember any of them staying in town."

The stranger, baldheaded and dressed in a simple traveling outfit, nodded. "The boy I am looking for would have been very young."

"Sorry, like I said. But wait," he suddenly seemed to remember. "There used to be another village about half a day's ride away just across the mountains, back then."

"Oh? What happened to it?"

The innkeeper shrugged as he continued to wipe down the wooden counter. "Bandits, maybe ... One night the village was attacked from what I have heard. Burned to the ground."

"And the people who lived there?"

"Those who survived moved away. There was not enough left to rebuild. Some of them are living here in town now. Sorry I could not be of more help. But if it is a good drink and a hearty meal you are looking for, that I can provide you with."

"Well then I shall take that." The stranger nodded as he pulled out his money bag. . "Give me a glass of ale and something to eat. And perhaps you can tell me how I get from here to where that village used to be."

"I sure could. But it burned down more than two summers ago, what do you hope to find, good man?""

"That I will not know until I get there." The man left a few coins on the counter, more than enough to cover his expenses, and settled down at one of the empty tables. It was still early in the day and the tavern was nearly empty.

Only a few moments later the innkeeper brought him a large pitcher of ale. "Your stew will be ready soon."

As he slowly sipped the beer he stared at the table in front of him, lost in thought.

He had been traveling for a long time but he was sure that he was on the right path. _His Majesty is alive, I know it. The signs are all there; and they are getting stronger.  
><em>

###

"So, what did you think?" the king asked as he and the boy were once again sitting inside the royal carriage. "Did you like our little detour for the night?"

Wufei's eyes were positively sparkling as he nodded enthusiastically. "It was wonderful. I will have to make sure to remember it well."

"Oh? Why is that?" Treize inquired curiously as he leaned back in his seat and folded his slender hands in his lap.

"I promised Headmistress Une and the other instructors at the shrine that I would write letters to let them know how I was doing. I will have to tell them about last night, about the cave, and the hot spring and most of all about the glowing worms that can live in rocks."

Treize chuckled; it was a soft, rumbling sound. "I am sure they will be delighted to hear all about it."

For a few moments the boy looked out of the window and watched trees and fields fly by as the carriage traveled swiftly over the dusty country road. He shifted nervously from one side to the other as he gathered his courage to address the king. "Um…, You Highness."

"What is it, Wufei? I thought I told you already that it is alright to call me Treize when we are in private."

"Do I have to wait until tonight before I can hear the end of the story?"

"The end of the story?" the tawny-haired dragon knight looked slightly puzzled.

"About the princess and the dragon…we did not finish it last night." Wufei reminded him.

"Oh right, **that** story. Well, I think it will be alright if I tell you the ending now. After all, we have plenty of time to spare." Treize looked at the boy questioningly. "So where did we leave off last night?"

"At the part where the princess promised the dragon that she would be waiting for him."

"Ah yes, that's right. Well then, are you ready for me to continue?"

Wufei gave a sharp nod. "Yes, Sir."

"After Princess Alana made her promise she happily hurried home. Thanks to the water crystal given to her by the dragon she was not only able to save her parents but also the other people in her kingdom. Soon word about the crystal's healing powers spread beyond the borders and the sick and ailing came from near and far to be cured. The princess helped each and every one of them, never demanding payment for her services but instead asking the people to leave whatever they could afford.

Now, our princess was not only kind and smart but also beautiful and it came as no surprise that young men flocked to the royal palace to ask for her hand in marriage. However, true to the promise she had made she apologized to each of them and told them that she was already spoken for.

One day a young and handsome prince arrived in the capital. He said that he too had heard of Alana's kindness and beauty and he had fallen in love with her instantly. He was willing to do whatever it took to win her heart. As Princess Alana spent some time with the young man she realized that they had a lot in common. He liked to read and ride through the country side with her. He was also well traveled and told her stories of faraway places she could only dream about. But the princess also realized that she was quickly falling in love with the charming, young man. Unwilling to break her promise, she knew that she could not continue seeing him. So one afternoon on one of their usual rides Alana heavy heartedly told the Prince that she could not meet him again. He wanted to know why she was rejecting him; if it was anything he had said or done, but she only could tell him that there was already someone else she was waiting for. But the prince was not satisfied with that answer. He probed and prodded until Alana finally told him the whole story. Her handsome prince instantly reached for his sword and offered to find the dragon and slay him so that she was released from her promise and free to marry whoever she wanted. Shocked, Alana stepped in his way and told him that she did not want him to kill the dragon.

The prince seemed confused. 'Are you saying you would rather go and live with monster, than with me?' he asked.

'But you do not understand,' she replied. 'He is not a monster.'

'All dragons are monsters,' the prince insisted, but she shook her head in sadness.

'I do not know about that. I have never met any other dragons. But the moment I looked into his eyes I knew he had a kind soul.'

The prince smiled at her gently. 'I'm glad you feel that way,' he said. Then he was suddenly engulfed in a soft golden light, and when the light faded he was gone and in his place stood her large, dark-scaled dragon. The creature bowed his head and spoke. 'Please forgive me for deceiving you, but I had to know your true feelings.'

'Who are you, no **what** are you?' The princess asked, still stunned. 'Are you man or dragon?'

'I am the dragon king,' the creature told her, and explained that as such he had the powers to take on both dragon and human form.

He asked if she still wanted to honor her promise and she agreed happily. The princess and the dragon king, now back in human form, headed back to the royal palace where he officially asked for her hand in marriage. After their wedding Alana left her family and moved with her husband to the dragon palace, hidden deep in the Forbidden Forest where they lived happily ever after. And that is the end!"

"That is all?"

The king chuckled quietly. "Disappointed?"

"No, no," Wufei assured him quickly. "I really liked the story. But I was just wondering what happened to them? Did they have any children?"

"Hmm…" Stroking his chin thoughtfully Treize seemed to think about it for a moment. "I am not sure really. However, I do remember one of my tutors from when I grew up had this very interesting theory that the first dragon knight might have been a descendent of Alana and the dragon king. But of course, this is a very, very old legend and many people argue it is all but a fairy tale, and neither Alana nor the dragon king ever really existed."

A shadow of disappointment washed over Wufei's face and the king quickly added: "But then, there are also plenty of adventurers who have entered the forbidden forest in hopes to find the lake where the magical crystals grow, or perhaps even the remains of the Dragon Palace with its legendary treasures."

"Truly? Did anyone ever find it? The palace I mean."

"I would not know. Few have ever returned alive from their journey. And…" Treize leaned closer and lowered his voice as though he was telling some kind of secret. "…those who did are said to have lost their minds from the sheer terror of what they encountered along the way."

Wufei swallowed. His eyes wide with amazement and dread, he didn't even realize that his Highness was just pulling his leg.

"Of course," the king continued as he leaned back in his seat again. "…once we get to the Royal Palace you are welcome to search the archives of the royal library for additional facts about the dragon princess and her handsome dragon prince."

"I am?" the boy asked excitedly. "Is the royal library large?"

"What would you say if I told you, it is large enough that you will be able to find a copy of every book ever written and every story ever told in Galados and perhaps all of Aurelis?"

"Impossible!"

"You think so?"

Wufei was just about to reply that he didn't think it was possible for anyone to collect every book ever written, when someone on the outside rapped at the carriage's window.

The king reached out and pushed away the heavy velvet curtain he had drawn earlier to keep out the hot afternoon sun. "What is it Zechs?"

The blond dragon knight was riding alongside the carriage. "We are approaching Thiria, your Highness. There is a small lake south of here; I thought we should stop there and let the horses rest before we proceed."

"Good thinking." Treize agreed. "Let us do that."

With a sharp nod of acknowledgement Zechs spurred his stallion to relay the orders to the other guards.

Wufei looked questioningly at the king. "What is **Thiria**?"

"The town where we will be spending the night," the tawny-haired man explained.

"Is it a big town?"

"Well, not as big as the capital, but big enough to have its own merchant district. And because the people in Thiria are known for their craftsmanship, especially if it comes to making jewelry and fine weapons, many traveling merchants come through to buy those goods so that they can resell them elsewhere."

"Ah, will we have time to check out the market place?" Wufei asked. He remembered, when he was smaller he had sometimes accompanied his mother into town to sell their harvest. And wandering the market place checking out all the different goods was one of his favorite things to do.

"I do not think Zechs would agree to that, he might find it would be too dangerous."

The boy frowned. "But you are the **king**. Why do you not just tell him to let you go?"

The tawny-haired man smiled softly. "I am afraid, my dear Wufei, that even the king cannot just do as he pleases. But I will see what I can do."

###

The desert air was still glistening with the heat of the day, but the lone rider knew he had only a short time left before nightfall. He drove his mount forward in spite of the blazing sun. A long white scarf covered his head, obscuring his face and keeping the fine desert sand out of his eyes and nose. A cloak of the same color fluttered behind him in the wind as he galloped toward what looked like a dark speck in the distance.

The desert was a unforgiving place of extremes; hot and dry during the day. But as soon as the sun dropped behind the horizon so did the temperatures and the howling winds picked up. Anyone unfortunate enough to find himself without shelter at dusk was in for a long night of braving the elements.

Those who lived here had learned to adapt. And those who didn't adapt... well, their bones were quickly covered by the moving sand.

The speck on the horizon grew larger and larger, until horse and rider eventually could make out the first outlines of palm trees. A oasis, like a small island of life in an ocean of nothingness.

The black stallion whinnied in excitement as the wind blew the faint smell of water toward them. When they reached the oasis the slowly setting sun was beginning to paint the horizon in the most beautiful shades of orange and red.

The rider, a youth about 13 or 14 years of age; not quite a man yet, but too old to be called a child, dismounted near a small well. Using a wooden bucket he filled the nearby trough, and then while his horse quenched its thirst he removed its saddle, and the beautifully ornate blanket beneath. In one of the saddle bags was a linen sack filled with oats. He poured half of it into the bucket in front of the mount; the rest was put away for the morning. Only after the stallion was taken care of did the rider see to his own needs. With the help of dried camel dung a fire was quickly started and a small tent made of canvas and wood was set up with the ease and experience of someone who had done it many times before.

By the time the sun had set he was warming himself by the flames, while Asad was happily and noisily munching his oats.

The sky was clear and filled with countless twinkling stars. As he looked up into the heavens he remembered a tale he had been told when he was still very young, about the gods who paint a new star onto the sky for every new creature born on Aurelis, and he wondered which of those sparkling lights might be his own.

A noise, no more than the breaking of a twig beneath someone's footstep, ripped him from his musings. Asad's head snapped around, eyes wide open ears straight up in alarm.

The youth reached for the dagger concealed beneath his cloak. His father would be furious if he knew he was carrying a weapon. But then, his father would also be furious if he knew that he had left the palace without permission, and alone.

"Who is there? Show yourself?" He demanded, trying to suppress the quiver of fear in his voice.

Two shadows separated themselves from the darkness behind him and he relaxed with a sigh of relief.

"Ahmad! Hassan! What are you doing here? Is my father making you follow me?"

"Not your father, Prince Quatre. Master Rashid sent us." The two men, dressed in gray pants and brown vests over tan shirts, looked like they could have been brothers. Perhaps they were. Quatre still found it difficult to remember the relationships between all the members of the Maquanac tribe. At least he managed to remember most of their names by now.

"We have orders to escort you safely back to the royal palace."

"Home?" Quatre asked surprised. "But I was supposed to meet up with Rashid in Nabata where he is waiting for Prince Artan and Calum? Or wait, let me guess. The two of them arrived early and are already on their way to the palace? Is that it?"

Ahmad and Hassan exchanged a long gaze with one another before the taller of the two shook his head.

"I'm afraid not, Prince Quatre."

* * *

><p>T.B.C.<p>

Author's Note: In addition to writing I have been playing around with my legos lately. In fact I'm creating some MOCs (MyOwnCreations) based on Dragon King. It will probably take as long to complete as the story will take to write. For the moment I have about half of the Capital of Galados build along with several of the characters.

Unfortunately doesn't allow me to post links inside the story, but you can find a link in my bios page if you would like to check out my creations. Let me know what you think.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

A big Thank You to KT who is taking time out of her busy schedule to help me proofread this story.

* * *

><p><strong>The Dragon King<strong>

**Book 1- Of New Kings and New Friends**

**Chapter 9**

Triton was lying on his back in a patch of soft grass watching the clouds in the sky above him pass by. Just within his view, perched on a tree branch, Bubo was feasting on a mouse she had caught only moments ago, and down by the lake the six shaggy horses the troupe owned were filling their stomachs with water and tender grass. It was the boy's job to take care of the animals while the rest of the group set up camp and put up the tent in which they performed.

When the owl had finished her meal she took off into the sky again. Watching the large bird soar so effortlessly above the tree tops Triton couldn't help but wonder what it must feel like to fly like a bird...or maybe ride on the back of a dragon.

For as long as he could remember people, even his mother and the king himself, had told him that his ability to connect with animals was a true gift and that he was probably destined to become a dragon knight. But dragon knights had to go through years of training at a place like the Royal Academy in Lhankor or the Dragon Shrine: or so he had thought until he met Wufei. Watching the lad who was even younger than him summon his dragon made him wonder if that was truly something he would be able to do as well.

A shriek from his 'sentinel' high above the tree tops alerted him that someone or something was approaching. Triton rose to his feet, checking his surroundings as he did so, but all he could see was a cloud of dust moving slowly down the main road. Within that cloud he could make out men on horseback and least one large carriage; a caravan of merchants perhaps on their way to Thiria to trade their goods.

The boy stifled a yawn and stretched as he looked one more time up into the sky. The sun was almost over the mountains, time for him to head back. Katherine was going to let him have it if he was late for his performance.

Triton headed down to the late, grabbing the leads of five of the horses before mounting the sixth, a dappled gray gelding with strong, feathered legs. He had learned to ride bareback long before he ever knew how to use a saddle.

"Come on Gypsy, let's go." With a click of his tongue the boy got the horse moving. He threw one last look over his shoulder to make sure that Bubo was following as he headed down the winding narrow path that let him eventually back onto the main road.

**###**

Pushing aside the heavy velvet curtains, Wufei peeked out of the window as the carriage stopped at the side of the road near a small, blue lake.

"Go!" the king encouraged him. "Move your legs while you have a chance."

The boy turned his head to look at Treize. "Is it alright?"

The tawny-haired man nodded with a soft smile. "Of course. Your body must be stiff from sitting all day. Just don't run too far; you wouldn't want us to leave without you, now would you?" he added teasingly.

"I won't!" Wufei had already pushed open the door and jumped out of the carriage. He couldn't see Zechs as he looked around, but two men in royal guard's uniform were unhitching the horses to take them down to the water.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

One of the men crooked his head and looked him over. "I don't know, Half-pint. If that horse takes off with you we might never see either of you again."

The boy's brows narrowed. "The name is **Wufei**, not Half-pint," he declared firmly, but the guard only laughed as he led away the first pair of horses.

Wufei was still glaring after him; his fists clenched tightly when a large hand touched his shoulder. He turned his head. The man behind him Wufei recognized as the coach's driver, was huge; easily a head taller than Zechs and with shoulders almost twice as wide.

"Don't let it bother you," he told the boy as he picked him up and lifted him onto the back of one of the remaining mounts. "He was just having some fun with you."

_Still, I don't like it! _Wufei buried his hands in the soft, silvery mane to steady himself.

"Do you know why they call me Runt?"

"Um…" The boy frowned slightly. "Because it is your name?"

"Not even close," the large man laughed. "You see, as a child I was quite small for my age and often sickly. When I entered the Dragon Shrine I was the smallest of all my classmates. My given name is Tyrsis, not exactly easy to remember. So soon everyone, including the instructors, started to call me Runt, like runt of the litter, you know."

"That's not a very nice thing to call someone." Wufei's frown deepened, but Runt or Tyrsis just smiled.

"Maybe, but I knew they weren't trying to be malicious or cruel. Besides," he laughed, "look at me now. I showed **them**, didn't I?"

The boy couldn't help but chuckle as well. "You sure did."

Once they reached the water's edge Wufei slipped off the mount's broad back. He had picked up a handful of flat rocks at the shore and started skipping them into the lake when he suddenly noticed something small and shiny beneath the surface. For a moment the boy thought he had come across a coin that someone had lost. Looking around for something he could use to retrieve it, he finally found a stick that was long and sturdy enough. When he started to free the sparkly object from the sand at the bottom of the lake he realized that it wasn't a coin after all but a rock or crystal of some sort. It took some patience and a bit of prodding and digging to move the object close enough to the shore for him to reach it.

It looked like a very smooth and shiny pebble, but not like any pebble Wufei had ever seen before. As he held it in his hand, studying the semi-translucent yellowish-brown stone curiously he could hear someone walk up to him from behind.

"Look at you, Half-pint, you found yourself a Dragon tear, aren't you the lucky one."

Wufei's head snapped around. "A Dragon tear?" he echoed in bewilderment.

The guard nodded. "Legend has it that when a dragon's tears fall into water they crystallize like that. They are said to bring good luck to the person who finds them?"

"Truly?" the boy asked skeptically.

"Cross my heart." The dark-haired man assured him. "You'd better take good care of it."

#

First there was the sound of familiar footsteps then a rap at the door. Treize, who had been relaxing with his eyes closed, suppressed a yawn. "Come in! What is it, Zechs?"

"I am sorry to disturb you, You Highness." The tall, blond dragon knight greeted him with a crisp nod. "I just received word that the main bridge over the Ya'duhl River has been damaged during a storm a few days ago. We will have to change our travel route, I am afraid. If You Highness would take a look..."

Zechs flipped down the small folding table and spread out a map between them.

The king sighed inwardly as he sat up and leaned forward to get a better look. "I wish you would call me by my given name, at least while we are in private."

"I would not necessarily call **this** private, your Highness. Besides, it just does not feel right."

"You never seemed to have problems with it the past, while we were growing up. Have I really changed that much?"

"It is not that. But you are the king now, and there are proprieties that need to be kept. Many things that might have been acceptable when we were children are not considered appropriate anymore." Zechs replied as he finally leaned over the map and pointed at a mark along the river west of where the main road and bridge was located. "Instead of heading east and travel around the mountains, I thought we could take this smaller and less traveled road and cross the river here. We would only loose about half a day. With your permission, Your Highness, I would like to send out two men to check out the bridge there and make sure that the road is safe."

When he didn't receive an answer Zechs raised his head and almost gasped, completely unprepared for the stunning blue eyes that stared back into his. The younger man swallowed as he remembered the last time... the only time he was this close to Treize.

_::: Begin Flashback :::_

_It was a hot summer's day;_ _he still remembered it as though it had been only yesterday. Zechs was just about to turn thirteen that year, and both he and Treize were home from the Dragon Shrine for a visit._

_The two boys, had been hunting when they got caught in a thunderstorm. Luckily they found shelter from the downpour in an old, abandoned barn. While their mounts were nibbling on a bale of old hay, Zechs dried himself off the best he could, then settled down near the half-broken door to watch the rain. Moments later his friend joined him._

"_You **do** realize, we will be laughed at when we return home empty handed." Treize teased. "How are you going to explain that you scared off that deer we had been tracking all morning? Such a pity, really," he added with a theatrical sigh. "Roasted deer in cranberry sauce, I almost could taste it."_

"_Then you should have aimed better," the younger boy shot back. "That arrow of yours easily missed by a whole two yards."_

"_Why you..." Playfully Treize smacked him in the back of the head with one of his riding gloves. "I wouldn't have missed if you hadn't sneezed at the wrong moment." _

_He tried to slap Zechs again, but the younger boy was too fast, dodging the glove with ease, then grabbing it and snatching it away from Treize. Soon the two friends were rolling around on the floor, laughing and fighting over the glove in a playful brawl. Suddenly Treize was on top of him, pinning him down with his superior weight. His face was directly above the younger boy and there was something in his eyes that Zechs had never seen before._

_For a long moment the two boys stared into each other's eyes. Treize reached out; one of his fingertips ghosted over Zechs' heated lips. Then he slowly closed the distance between them and kissed him on the lips, very slow and gentle. _

_Zechs blushed deeply and a feeling of utter amazement washed over him. Never before had anyone, male or female, kissed him like that. At that moment he almost wished that the rain would never stop and they could stay like that forever._

_:::End Flashback :::_

Zechs' mouth was completely dry. _Why…Why am I thinking about this now? And why is my heart pounding at the mere memory? _

"Your Highness…Your Highness…" The door to the carriage suddenly flew open and both men jerked backwards with a start. "You Highness, look what I have fou…" Wufei swallowed the rest of the sentence and stopped dead in his tracks when he realized that the king wasn't alone. "I'm sorry," he quickly apologized and dipped his head. "I didn't realize you were busy."

"Um…" Treize cleared his throat. "Don't worry about it. Zechs and I were just talking about the route we are going to take tomorrow, and we were just about done." He picked up the map, folded it up and handed it to his bodyguard. "Permission granted to send out those scouts. I'll leave the rest to you, Zechs."

"As you wish, Your Highness!" The blond gave the king a crisp nod as he rose from his seat. He flicked his finger against the boy's forehead as he passed him on the way out. "Learn to knock, lad." …o_r you might walk in on something you are not prepared to see._

#

_Ouch! _ Rubbing the red mark Wufei glared after the tall dragon knight. "I said I was sorry!"

"So, what was it you wanted to show me, Wufei?"

"Oh, right." The boys' eyes sparkled with excitement as he revealed the small semi-transparent rock he had been hiding in his closed fist "Look what I found at the lake, Your Highness."

"Oh my, a dragon tear. You are quite lucky." Treize gave him an impressed nod.

"That is what the other guards said too, but..."

"But?" The king raised one eyebrow questioningly.

"I have never before seen a dragon cry." Wufei admitted. "Is it really true that this stone was formed from a tear?"

"Hmm... I have never seen it either, so I think that a dragon cries only on very rare occasions; like when its master dies perhaps. That might also be the reason why dragon tears are so scarce and hard to find"

"I see." Wufei looked down at the small, smooth pebble. It seemed to make sense.

"May I take a closer look?" Treize asked.

"Yes, of course."

The boy dropped the stone into the palm of his hand and he held it up against the sun. "Look how beautiful it sparkles. Did you know that no two dragon tears ever look the same? This one is definitely one of the prettiest I have ever seen."

"Then you have seen others before? How many?"

"Hmm... Half a dozen perhaps, but most of them were much smaller. You really ought to take good care of it," the tawny-haired dragon knight told Wufei as he handed the stone back to him.

"I will," the boy promised with an enthusiastic nod. "I would like to show it to Nataku, if I may."

"Very well," the king agreed. "But make sure not to startle the horses when you summon her."

#

The sun was already sitting low at the horizon when the king's convoy approached Thiria. Treize had changed from his normal travel clothing into some more formal and regal robes before they left the lake area.

Suddenly the carriage slowed down. Wufei pulled away the curtains and opened the window. The wind tousled his raven hair as he curiously stuck his head out of the window, eager to see the large town Treize had spoken about. First he could only see tall walls, stretching to the left and right for what seemed like miles. The first riders had almost reached the heavy gate when it slowly started to open.

The boy almost gasped when he realized that the main street was lined with hundreds of people, men women and children of all ages. As the carriage rolled through the gate the crowd began cheering, and Wufei quickly pulled back his head. "So many people!" he whispered in awe. "They all came to see you."

"That is normal. People are curious to see their king," Treize explained with a soft smile.

As they rolled in a steady pace along the wide cobblestone road he raised his hand to wave at the onlookers. His smile never faded and he even managed to catch a few flowers here and there that were thrown in his direction.

Zechs meanwhile had pulled back and was riding directly next to the carriage. His face was a mask of perfect calm, but his watchful, constantly moving eyes didn't miss anything going on around them.

#

The king gave a silent sigh of relief when the carriage finally came to a hold in front of a beautiful, two-story brick building. On a sign over the front entrance, beneath a red and white marquees, the name of the Inn was painted in bold golden letters.

"Is this the place where we will be spending the night?" Wufei asked as they waited for Zechs and the other guards to dismount.

"That is correct," Treize confirmed. "Now Wufei, from here on stay at my side and do not run off unless you have my permission."

"Yes, Sir." The boy nodded in acknowledgement.

Only after Zechs opened the door for them, did the king exit his coach and quickly walked into the building, shielded to the right and the left by his royal guard. A short, corpulent man with graying hair weaseled toward them the moment they entered the door. He bowed as deep as his round belly allowed.

"Your Highness I feel greatly privileged to welcome you again to my humble Inn. I will do whatever I can to make your stay here as enjoyable and peaceful as possible."

"Thank you, we feel honored." The king nodded politely.

"You and your men must be hungry and tired after your long journey. Please allow me to serve you some of my best wine. I also had my cook prepare a roast that's so tender; it will literally melt in your mouth."

"We are sure our men will appreciate your hospitality. As for ourselves, we might have a light meal later. It has been a long, exhausting day and we would prefer to retire to our room to rest for now." Treize replied before he turned toward his bodyguard and handed him the flowers he was still carrying.

Zechs looked somewhat lost and surprised as he gazed down at the colorful bouquet. "What am I supposed to do with those, if I may ask?"

"Well, put them in some water of course. Flowers need water, we could bet even Wufei knows that. And when you are done with that, there is something else we need you to take care of," he continued "We want you to have a blacksmith look at Embar, especially his right hind leg. Yesterday while we were riding him it felt like his horseshoe might be loose."

The blond dragon knight nodded in acknowledgement. "There is a smithy just down the road if I am not mistaken. I will send one of my men there right away."

"No! We want you personally to take care of it." Treize's voice left no room for argument. "You do know how we feel about that stallion; we would not let just anybody handle him. And do not be cheap; take him to the best smithy in town. He deserves nothing less."

Zechs, nodded again. "As you wish, Your Highness."

"Oh, and see to it right away, we will rest easier knowing Embar is taken care of."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Thank you. Wufei…" The king looked down at the boy at his site. "You look tired. You should rest as well," he decided.

"But I am not tired!"

"Oh yes, you are." Treize told him firmly. "Let us go!"

Wufei blinked, then frowned but didn't argue.

#

His room was large; bigger than any room Wufei had ever slept in, and expensively furnished. The bed was larger than anything he had ever set eyes on. Left and right of it were two nightstands made of ornately carved wood. Along the wall to the right stood a tall chest with matching patterns and a small table with two overstuffed velvet chairs. On the left he noticed, very much to his delight, a bookshelf and there was even a writing desk beneath the window. The massive and lavishly decorated fireplace seemed big enough to keep the large room comfortably warm during the winter months.

The boy couldn't help but wonder who, aside from the king, could afford to travel in such style. But then he remembered what his Highness had said about Thiria being a mecca for traveling merchants. Merchants, he knew, were often wealthy. So this was probably the kind of place they stayed at when they were in town.

Even though there were no other guests at the Inn, Zechs had insisted on posting two soldiers in the hallway outside their quarters before he had left to take the king's stallion to the blacksmith. Wufei could hear them talk quietly to each other as they stood guard.

The boy sighed as he looked around the room. He really had wanted to go with Zechs, in hopes to see at least a little bit of the town. He had all but begged, even promised to go to bed as soon as they returned but his Highness remained firm, insisting that he stay in his room and rest.

_But I'm really not tired,_ he thought. _Perhaps I should use the time to write down some of the things that have happened on our journey, while they were still fresh in my mind._ Wufei was just about to sit down at the writing desk when the door that connected his room to the king's slowly and quietly opened.

He turned his head and blinked in surprise. "Your…Highness…?"

Treize put one finger over his lips, indicating for the boy to be quiet. "What are you waiting for," he whispered. "Grab your cloak. You wanted to explore the town, did you not?"

* * *

><p>T.B.C.<p>

Author's Note: In addition to writing I have been playing around with my legos lately. In fact I'm creating some MOCs (MyOwnCreations) based on Dragon King. It will probably take as long to complete as the story will take to write. For the moment I have about half of the Capital of Galados build along with several of the characters.

Unfortunately doesn't allow me to post links inside the story, but you can find a link in my bios page if you would like to check out my creations. Let me know what you think.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

A big Thank You to KT who is taking time out of her busy schedule to help me proofread this story.

* * *

><p><strong>The Dragon King<strong>

**Book 1- Of New Kings and New Friends**

**Chapter 10**

"You wanted to explore the town, did you not?"

_Yes but..._ "What about Zechs? You said he would not allow it," the boy asked baffled. _And what happened to: 'Even a king can't do as he pleases'?_

A tiny smirk crossed Treize's face, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief as he replied: "Zechs is not here right now, is he? So, I am afraid we will not be able to ask for his permission."

Wufei's dark brows knitted when he realized the king had planned it like this from the very beginning. "But how are we to leave? The guards in the hall will surely see us." _And even if by some small miracle we can get past them, there are still a dozen more soldiers downstairs._

The king's smirk widened as he winked at Wufei. "Leave it to me, "he whispered. "Now grab your cloak; it will get cold once the sun sets."

Still skeptical the boy reached for the black, hooded cape he had thrown over the bed earlier. Treize took him by the arm, pulling him into his own room where he ushered the surprised boy out onto the balcony. "Stay here and be still," he ordered. "I shall be right back."

###

The blond dragon knight waited patiently while the blacksmith checked Embar's hooves one after the other.

The tall, bearded man scratched his head as he finally set down the last leg and straightened up. "With all due respect, my Lord, I can't find anything wrong with any of your mount's horseshoes."

A suspicious frown crossed Zechs' face. This was the exact same answer he had received at the first smithy he had visited. Now it might be unusual but not impossible for **one** blacksmith to overlook a missing nail or loose horseshoe, but for two of them to make the same mistake was highly unlikely. Not to mention that Zechs himself hadn't felt anything unusual about the stallions gait while he was riding him. Nevertheless he asked: "Are you sure? None of them are loose or anything?"

"Not as far as I can see. Whoever put those shoes on knew what he was doing. They won't come off unless you want them to, and even then only with a lot of force."

"How about rocks or pressure points?"

The blacksmith shook his head. "Nothing at all."

_Why am I beginning to feel like a fool? _Zechs laughed humorlessly, earning himself a strange look from the other man. _But more important…What are you up to, Your Highness? _

"Thank you anyway, good man." He pulled out his money bag and handed the blacksmith a shiny silver piece for his trouble, before he swung himself into the saddle and headed back to the Inn.

###

Wide eyed and awestruck the boy followed Treize through the merchant district. Never before had he seen such hustle and bustle. The market his mother used to take him to was a far cry from this place.

Vendors were displaying their goods, calling out to the people passing by in an attempt to get their attention, sometimes even offering small pieces of fruit, cheese or smoked meats for tasting. Some buyers seemed to know what they had come for and headed straight for a specific booth, while others strolled around checking out anything and everything.

"What do you think?" Turning his head the king looked over his shoulder at Wufei.

"It is amazing," he admitted. "I have never seen anything like it."

Treize laughed softly. "Just wait until we reach the capital. This is nothing compared to Altea; the market there is at least twice... no four times as big."

"No way!" the boy exclaimed. His Highness surely had to be jesting.

"It is the truth, I assure you."

Wufei looked around them up at the king. "Can we go and see what everybody is selling?"

"We shall. But first things first…" Treize put his hand onto the boy's shoulder as he led him toward an Inn across the street "We haven't had supper yet, and it is never a good idea to go shopping on an empty stomach."

The tavern was crowded and noisy, but no one took notice of them as they crossed the room and settled down at an empty table near the fireplace.

"Take off your cloak for now," the king told him, as he did the same. He too was wearing a long brown cloak over a pair of deerskin trousers and a simple shirt.

Treize waved for the tavern's keeper, a middle-aged female who was quite tall for a woman and looked like she was very much able to take care of business and any drunken patrons.

"What can I get ya', hun?" she asked as she approached the table. "Some wine to wash down the dust of the road?"

"That sounds about right," the tawny-haired dragon knight confirmed. "And bring us also some cider for the boy. You like cider, Wufei?"

The boy nodded. "Yes... Sir." He caught himself at the last moment, realizing that it was probably not a good idea to reveal the king's identity.

"What's on your menu tonight?" Treize wanted to know. "We would also like to order something to eat"

"I can get you a mighty fine Oxtail stew, or you can have elk roast with sausages and cabbage."

"I think we will go with the stew, "the king decided after a brief moment of contemplation. "Bring us two bowls of it if you would, and bread if you have it."

"Coming right up, dear." the woman announced before walking away.

The wine and cider was brought first, and the stew was served with a small loaf of bread, crispy on the outside and so fresh it was still warm.

Wufei nodded politely and thanked the woman as she put his bowl of stew in front of him, earning himself a smile and a pat on the head. "What an adorable boy and so well raised; is he yours?"

"I'm his guardian." the king explained.

"Ah, I see. You are not from around here, are you?"

"Just traveling through. "Treize confirmed, and it wasn't even a lie.

"You don't look like a trading merchant, hun. Did you come to town to see the king or are you here for the show?"

"The show?" Wufei echoed slightly puzzled as he looked up at the tall woman.

She nodded. "A group of performers stopped in town this morning. Saw them hitch up their tent at the end of the marketplace by the old guard tower. Wish I could go see them myself." she added with a sigh. "Oh well, we can't always get what we want, right? Enjoy your supper."

"I wonder if it is Triton's troupe?" the boy mused as she started to walk away. He didn't even realize he had spoken out loud until the king replied:

"Triton, you mean the boy from the group that performed at the Dragon Shrine?"

Wufei nodded. "He told me they were heading for a large town, about two days away from the shrine."

"You might be correct then, there is no other large town in this area." Treize explain. "Would you like to see the show?"

"Could we?"

His highness smiled softly. "I don't see why not. But now, eat up. That stew will not be any good once it is cold."

"Yes, Sir."

###

"Where is His Highness?"

The two guards instinctively snapped to attention when Zechs Marquise came storming up the stairs.

"In his quarters, Sir."

"What about the boy?"

"He is in his room as well."

"Neither of them left at any time?" the blond dragon knight inquired suspiciously.

Both men shook their heads in unison.

"His Highness only came to the door once, to tell us that he was taking a nap and did not want to be disturbed unless it is absolutely necessary."

_Well, I think this qualifies as absolutely necessary;_ Zechs thought as he stepped closer to the door and put this ear against it to listen. It was quiet... too quiet, for his taste. He reached out to open the door. But when he realized that it was locked from the inside, the young man knocked, softly first then with a little more force. "Your Highness?"

There was no answer. Not that he really had expected one at this point. "Find the Inn keeper and get me a spare key," he ordered, directed at one of the guards.

"But Sir…" The man shifted uncomfortable from one foot onto the other. "I don't think we should… His Highness will be furious. He specifically asked not to be woken."

"Don't worry, if it comes to that I'll take blame for anything." he assured the man. "Now go!"

"Yes Sir."

When the guard returned a short while later he handed the ring with the spare keys to the blond dragon knight. His face clearly indicated that he was still not pleased with the idea of entering the king's bedroom without his consent. "Sir, are you really sure about this?"

Without wasting another word Zechs unlocked the door and opened it slowly. He almost snorted as he looked around the room. The king's robes were hanging neatly folded, over the bed's footboard. Behind him, the guards rose to their toes to look over his shoulder. If they had expected to see his Highness peacefully asleep in his bed they were thoroughly disappointed.

Zechs turned his head. The door between the two bedchambers was slightly ajar. Just to be sure, the young man checked the other room as well, before turning toward two very pale and dumbfounded guards. "What was it you were saying about his Highness and the boy never leaving their rooms?"

The older of the two soldiers swallowed. "I do not…know …what happened, Sir," he stammered. "I cannot even understand how they…" He swallowed the rest of the sentence and dipped his head when his gaze fell upon the open door to the balcony, with the drapes moving slightly in the evening breeze. "I am sorry, Sir. We will take full responsibility…"

Zechs raised his hand to cut him off. "We will take about that later." _I am just as much to blame as they are for not warning them properly._

"Yes, Sir. With your permission, we will notify the rest of the guard and immediately start searching for his Highness."

"No!" Zechs' voice left no room for argument. "The last thing we need is for word to get around that our king is out there in town, on his own, without any escort. I shall go and find him myself. As for the two of you... as far as you are concerned, His Highness has never left this room. He is not feeling well and resting. He is not to be disturbed... under no circumstances. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly clear, Sir." Once again the two soldiers nodded in unison.

###

Even though the sun was already beginning to set when Wufei and the king left the tavern, the marketplace was still filled with people. If anything, the boy could have sworn the place was even more crowded than before. Many of the vendors had lit small lanterns and the main street was bathed in a soft colorful light. He looked around, amazed and almost overwhelmed by the sights, sounds and smells around him.

"Now that we had a good supper how about closing it out with some delicious, honey-dipped pita nuts?" the king suggested.

"Pita nuts?" Puzzled the boy looked up at the tall, tawny- haired man.

"Ah, that is right," Treize nodded, "I forgot. You are from Sakeo Province; pita nuts do not grow that far north. We will most definitely have to try some then; trust me, you will love them." He gestured for Wufei to follow him. "This way!"

The sweet smell of honey and spices grew stronger as they approached a small stall on the other side of the road.

"Fresh Pita nuts," the vendor was calling out. "Freshly roasted and piping hot."

"Give us two bags!" the king demanded.

"Two bags, right away." The man nodded as he grabbed two sheets of gray paper and, with the experience of someone who had done it hundreds of times before, rolled them into small cone-shaped bags which he filled to the rim with sweet and sticky nuts. "There you go, my lord. That will be half a din."

Treize, who had already pulled out his money bag, handed the vendor a small silver coin in exchange for the sweets.

"Thank you, my Lord."

Looking down at the boy Treize waited while Wufei cautiously tasted one of the honey covered nuts. "So, what do you think?"

"Hmm..." Wufei's eyes went wide. He licked his finger as he looked up. "They really are tasty. I don't think I have ever had anything like it before. Although, they are quite sticky"

The king chuckled softly. "That they are," he admitted. "But I think their deliciousness more than makes up for that little…inconvenience. Should we get moving then?"

The boy nodded as his little fingers picked another, especially large, nut from the bag. "Thank you... for the sweets and for taking me to the market."

Treize waved the words of gratitude away with a dismissive gesture. "You are giving me too much credit, Wufei. Truth is; I wanted to come here myself. If anything, I should be thanking you for tagging along and keeping me company. Now, let us see if we can find your friend and his traveling troupe."

"Yes, Sir!" Wufei replied with a crisp nod. "Do you know where the Old Guard Tower is? The woman in the tavern said that's where they have setup their tent."

"Straight ahead." Treize pointed down the main street. "The old tower sits right at the border of the merchant's district. Can you see it just beyond the market?"

It was hard to see the tower itself in the dark but Wufei could make out its lights in the distance, so he gave another nod. "Do you think it is too late to see the show?"

"Well…from what I know, most groups put on at least two performances; one in the afternoon and one after sunset. So I think we should still get there in time."

Gazing at the shops and stalls right and left of them, the boy asked. "Can we look around at least a little?"

"I cannot see why not, as long as we do not linger too long."

Wufei continued to nibble his sticky treats as he and the king strolled down the road; checking out a vender's goods over here; looking at skillfully crafted sword or shield over there. When he gazed to his right he noticed that Treize had not even opened his own bag yet.

"You are not eating yours?" he asked gesturing at the candy.

"I will, later," his highness assured him. "Right now I am a little full from the stew, so I think I shall share them with Zechs later on. I happen to know that he loves sweets, too."

"Oh right, Zechs!" Wufei replied thoughtfully. He hadn't even thought of the blond dragon knight since they had left the Inn. "Do you think he has noticed by now that we are gone?"

"I would be very disappointed in him if he has not."

"He will be angry because we left without asking, will he not?"

"Probably." Treize nodded.

"He is scary when he gets angry."

"Do not worry about it." The king smiled reassuringly as he laid his hand on the lad's shoulder. "He would not be angry at **you**. And I know just how to deal with him."

"You have known each other for a long time, have you not?"

"That is right," Treize confirmed with another nod. "When Zechs and I met for the first time he was about your age and I was only a few years his senior."

"So, you and Zechs are good friends then?"

"I would like to think so." _Speaking of the devil… _Treize frowned slightly as his eyes caught a head of silvery blond hair in the crowd. Then he looked down at his pint-size companion. "Wufei, please go ahead already; look around a little if you want. I will be with you again in a moment."

"Yes, Sir."

As he watched the boy head for a vendor's stall across the street, Treize waited for his bodyguard to catch up with him. It didn't take Zechs long to discover him, considering that the king's ginger-colored hair stood out in the crowd just as much as his own.

"Your Highness…" the tall dragon knight pressed through his teeth. "What were you thinking?"

The king answered Zechs' death glare with the most charming smile he could muster. "What a small world. I would have never expected to see you here. How is Embar?"

"He will live."

Ignoring the sarcasm in the other man's voice Treize held on to his smile. "I am glad to hear it."

"What were you thinking?" Zechs repeated. "Going into town without an escort is not only the ultimate act of irresponsibility on your part, but it also teaches the boy a bad lesson. What if someone was to find out who you are?"

"They might, if you keep shouting like this."

"Hmph."

"Truce?" the king asked innocently as he held up the bag of candied pita nuts like a peace offering.

The blond dragon knight closed his eyes as he let out a deep sigh of defeat. _Why am I even trying?_ "This," he replied firmly, even as he snatched the bag from Treize's hands, "does not change the fact that I will have to ask you to return with me to the Inn at once."

The older man suddenly turned serious. "I am sorry, but that is not going to happen, Zechs."

"I beg your pardon?" Zechs blinked.

"I promised Wufei that we will be going to see the show, you see. I never broke a promise before and I am not planning on starting now."

"What show?"

"The troupe that was entertaining us at the dragon shrine is here in town," Treize explained. "If you remember, the boy never got to see their performance that night."

"Where is he anyway?" the body-guard wanted to know.

"Looking around." The king gestured straight ahead. Even while he was talking to Zechs he had been trying to keep an eye on Wufei as he was strolling from one vendor to the next. "He has never before been…" Treize swallowed the rest of the sentence when he suddenly realized that the stall where he had seen the boy just moments before was surrounded by a group of people and there was no sign of Wufei.

"Move aside! Let me through!" the tawny-haired man demanded firmly as he pushed his way through the gawking crowd. His heart nearly skipped a beat when he noticed Wufei lying motionless on the ground.

"What happened?" He looked questioningly at the merchant, a middle aged man with graying hair and long sideburns, while Zechs knelt down next to the boy's lifeless body.

"I don't know…," the man insisted as he shook his head. "He wanted to look at some of my weapons. I was just showing him this dagger when he suddenly collapsed. He isn't ill, is he?"

"Of course not. Zechs?"

The blond dragon knight had slipped his arm beneath Wufei's upper body and raised his head of the ground. "He has lost consciousness, but I do not see any injuries; just a bruise where he hit his head when he fell."

"Take him back to the Inn, Zechs."

"But Sir…"

"Do it!" The king's voice left no room for arguments. "I will be right behind you."

"As you wish, Sir."

As Zechs lifted the boy up Treize turned back toward the vendor. "Show me that dagger you said he was looking at when he collapsed," he demanded.

###

The boy never woke, even as Zechs placed him onto the wide, four-posted bed, removed the boots and cloak he was wearing and tucked him in beneath the heavy quilt. Before he rose to his feet the young man put his hand against Wufei's forehead. The skin felt a bit warm but not hot to the touch. _Good; at least he does not have a fever._ Zechs mused in relief.

On his way out the door the tall, blond dragon knight nearly collided with Treize who was trying to enter the room.

"How is he?" Concern was clearly written across the king's face.

"He has not woken yet. Perhaps he is just exhausted. It has been a very eventful past few days after all."

"Perhaps," Treize agreed, but he didn't sound too convinced.

"By the way, I took the liberty of sending for the local healer. He should be here soon."

"Well done! I will stay with him for a while. Oh right, Zechs I want you to hold on to this for me." The king said as he handed him a cloth wrapped bundle.

Through the fabric of the cloak Zechs could feel something rigid and slightly curved. "What is it?" he wanted to know.

"The dagger Wufei was holding when he collapsed. I want my star-diviner to check it out and see if it has anything to do with the boy's condition. Until then I want you to keep it somewhere safe. I do not want him near it again until we know more."

"Understood." The younger man nodded in acknowledgement. "I shall put it away and then go downstairs and wait for the healer."

"Thank you Zechs."

###

The curfew bells had long rung and the town lay dark and quiet when Zechs Merquise made one last round, checking up on the guards he had posted inside and around the Inn. Satisfied with his inspection, the blond dragon knight decided to head for bed himself, but not before checking one more time on Wufei.

The healer who had examined the boy earlier wasn't of much help. He couldn't tell them either what was wrong with him, but he did agree with Zechs that exhaustion and too much excitement could be a possible cause for Wufei's collapse. A good night's sleep along with some tea, made of herbs and roots the healer left, should have the boy on his feet in no time at all.

Slowly and without the slightest sound Zechs opened the door to Wufei's bedchamber and peered into the room. He didn't even need to light a candle; the nearly full moon shining through the open window provided enough illumination for him to clearly see the figure lying in bed. _Make that figures_ he corrected himself with a slight frown.

Wufei was still fast asleep, tucked in just like Zechs had left him, and on the other side of the bed the king, fully dressed except for his boots, was sleeping as well.

_Why do I feel more like a nursemaid than a body guard?_ Zechs sighed as he reached for the spare blanket, hanging over a chair by the fireplace, and tenderly draped it over the older man's body. _Well, at least there is hoping that __**one**__ of my 'pupils' will grow up eventually. As for the other…,_ He smirked slightly as he gazed down at Treize. _I'm afraid it's a lost cause._

* * *

><p>T.B.C.<p>

Author's Note: In addition to writing I have been playing around with my legos lately. In fact I'm creating some MOCs (MyOwnCreations) based on Dragon King. It will probably take as long to complete as the story will take to write. For the moment I have about half of the Capital of Galados build along with several of the characters.

Unfortunately doesn't allow me to post links inside the story, but you can find a link in my bios page if you would like to check out my creations. Let me know what you think.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

A big Thank You to KT who is taking time out of her busy schedule to help me proofread this story.

* * *

><p><strong>The Dragon King<strong>

**Book 1- Of New Kings and New Friends**

**Chapter 11**

A stray ray of sunlight slowly moved across the wide bed until it eventually tickled Wufei's nose, causing the boy to moan in protest. His eyelids fluttered then opened slowly as he woke. For a brief moment he felt disoriented. Dark brows knitted in confusion as he tried to remember how he got into bed.

"Are you awake?"

Startled Wufei jerked up but regretted it instantly when he was overcome by a wave of dizziness. He squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the vertigo to dissipate.

In the chair beside the bed the king dropped the book he had been reading from, as he jumped to his feet. "Wufei, are you feeling well?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

The boy nodded cautiously. "Just a little lightheaded." His right hand came up to gingerly probe a spot at the back of his head. Beneath his fingertips he could feel a small, but painful swelling. "I think, I might have hit my head."

"You do not remember what happened?"

"No." Ever so slightly Wufei shook his head. "I mean yes, I do remember the two of us visiting the market place. But I cannot recall what happened later. How…?" He was about to ask how he got back into his room when a low growl from the pit of his stomach interrupted him and sent a slight flush into his cheeks. "I am sorry."

"Do not be. It is nothing to apologize for," Treize assured him with a soft smile. "It is almost noon; I am not surprised you are starving. Let me call for someone to fetch you something to eat at once."

"Thank you." Wufei pushed himself up into a sitting position and fluffed up the pillows behind his back as he watched the king step out into the hall and talk to one of the guards posted there.

"Still feeling dizzy?" Treize inquired when he turned back toward the boy.

"No, it is better now."

"I am relieved to hear it." The tawny-haired dragon knight picked up the book he had dropped earlier, settled back down in the chair next to the bed, and folded his hands in his lap. "Wufei, while we are waiting for your food to be brought up, would you mind telling me how much you **do** remember about last night?"

"Umm… sure, what do you want me to tell you?"

"Everything…everything you remember."

"Very good," Wufei gave a sharp nod. "After we sneaked out of the Inn we went to the tavern where we had supper and that big woman kept patting my head..." He paused, looking at the older man questioningly. "Would you like to know what we ate and drank, too?"

A tiny smile curved the king's lips as he replied. "I believe that will not be necessary. Please, continue from the point where we split up."

"Hmm… After you told me to go ahead and that you would catch up with me soon, I looked at some of the things the vendors were selling."

"Yes, and there was one who had some particular beautifully crafted weapons for display, do you remember that?" Treize prodded.

"Right." The boy nodded again. "There was one dagger that I really liked. It was curved and had carvings all over the handle… The man said I had very good taste and asked if I wanted to take a closer look. I think he must have seen us together."

"What makes you think that?"

"Because he said the dagger looked like it was made for me and that I should try to convince my father to buy it. Then he handed me the weapon and at the moment I touched it…"

"Yes?"

"It was strange, like a flash of lightning went through my body. I felt sick and my head was spinning. For a short moment I was dreaming and then everything went black. And next thing I remember is waking up in my bed."

"What do you mean by 'dreaming'?" Treize asked curiously.

"Hmm, well… I was seeing things in my mind. You know, like when you are dreaming."

"Fascinating! Tell me more about it," the king asked at just the same moment as someone knocked at the door. "On second thought, let us talk about it later." He rose to his feet to answer the door. "That should be your breakfast. You should eat first."

#

Standing by the window. watching a pair of white doves building their nest in a nearby tree, Treize waited patiently for the boy to finish his meal. Finally Wufei put down his spoon and pushed away the tray. He had eaten a large bowl of porridge, some scrambled eggs on bread and nearly all the berries on his plate but he had barely touched the cup of steaming hot tea.

"Drink the tea!"

"But…," the boy wrinkled his nose in revulsion, as he complained: "It tastes terrible."

"I know; drink it anyway," the king insisted. "The healer said it will do you good."

"Yes, Sir." Wufei sighed but obediently reached for the cup, raised it to his lips and drained it in one big gulp. The drink tasted a lot like tree bark and... no, he really did not want to know what else the healer might have put into the brew.

"Good boy!" Treize praised as he picked up the empty dishes and moved them to the table by the window before settling down again in the chair next to the boy's bed. "So," he asked curiously. "What was it you were saying about that dream you were having?"

"I saw things; mountains and forests, places that seemed strangely familiar but I do not think I have ever been there before. I really cannot remember much, but I think I was flying. Strange, wouldn't you say?"

"Hmm…," Treize paused thoughtfully. "According to the star diviner, dreams can be either memories or prophecies, or even a mix thereof. Perhaps what you saw were the places you recall from when you were traveling as a little boy with your parents. Is it possible?"

"Maybe, I am not sure; it all came and went so fast."

"Well," the king smiled as he reached out to pat Wufei's head. "Let us not worry about it, shall we? You should try to get some more rest, while I go and tell Zechs to start preparing for our departure."

As Treize rose from his chair and headed for the door Wufei stared down in his lap.

"Umm…" Finally he cleared his throat and looked up, causing the king to hold his step and turn his head.

"Yes?" He asked.

"We will be leaving soon?"

Treize nodded in confirmation. "As soon as you feel up to it."

"I will not be able to see Triton after all, then?" The disappointment in Wufei's voice was hard to miss.

The king turned completely to face the boy. "Not this time, I am afraid. But you will see them again," he promised. "I will make sure of it."

"By the way, how did I get to my room and into bed? Did you carry me back?" Wufei wanted to know.

"No actually, Zechs did. You probably should thank him the next time you see him."

"Yes, Sir."

#####

"Hey, you there… Boy!"

Triton paused and lowered the brush he was using to comb Kin's thick golden fur, as he turned his head. The man who had called out to him was tall, dark-haired and wearing a gray and blue uniform.

The saber cat, chained up between two large canvas tents, bared his fangs and snarled, indicating that he was anything but pleased about the interruption. Triton rubbed the palm of his hand against the feline's soft ear and the snarl turned into a deep satisfied purr.

"How can I help you, my Lord?"

"I need to speak to whoever is in charge of the troupe."

"That would be my sister," the lad told him. "Catherine! Catherine!" he called out.

Only moments later a young woman with long red hair stepped out of the larger of the two tents. "What in the world are you yelling about, Triton?" she scolded. "Don't you know that people are still trying to sleep?"

Her brother gestured toward the uniform-clad stranger. "Someone is asking to see you."

Catherine eyed the man warily as she stepped closer. Soldiers and guardsmen almost always meant trouble. "We have permission to be here," she told him. "I spoke to the town's captain and paid the levy myself yesterday."

"Permits and tolls are not my concern, my lady," the man assured her. "That's not why I'm here."

"Not?" she asked. "Then why **are** you here?"

"I came to make a delivery," he replied as he pulled out a letter from under his coat and handed it to the young woman.

Surprised, Catherine turned to paper over and looked at the seal.

"Who is it from?" Her brother wanted to know.

"This is… the royal seal of Galados. The letter is from his Majesty the King." Catherine almost couldn't believe her eyes.

"Well, open it up and read," Triton urged impatiently. "What does it say?"

Still puzzled Catherine broke the seal and unfolded the paper. Her eyes moved quickly over the elegantly written lines. "His Majesty writes about how much he enjoyed our show at the Dragon Shrine; so much so that he is inviting us to the Royal Palace to perform at the upcoming Harvest Festival."

"The Royal Palace?" her brother echoed. "The whole troupe?"

"It certainly sounds like it," the young woman confirmed. "The Harvest Festival is not held for another two moon cycles; I think we should be able to put together a whole new act before then. What do you think, Triton?"

The boy nodded. "I know Kin and Kuri and I can."

"I take it this means you will be accepting the king's invitation then?" the royal guard asked.

"But of course, how could we not? It is such an honor."

"In that case…" The man pulled another small package from his coat. "I'm supposed to give you this as well."

Curiously Catherine removed the silky wrappings and was left with a small, oval piece of polished stone. "A travel pass?" she asked surprised as she checked the colorful engraved writing on one side before turning it over to reveal an engraving of the royal seal on the other.

The guard nodded in confirmation. "As you see it bares his majesty's seal. It shows that you are traveling under his personal protection and, as long as you have this pass, you should have no trouble traveling safely within the kingdom of Galados."

"Please tell his Majesty…" Catherine played with the token in her hand as she spoke. "We are grateful and honored, and we are looking forward to entertaining him with our performance at the Harvest Festival."

"My lady." The guard gave her and Triton a crisp nod before he turned on his heel and walked away.

"Triton **this** is wonderful!" The young woman flew toward her brother, embraced him and hugged him tightly. "If we can stay at the capital for a week or two after the festival, we should be able to make enough money to not have to worry about food and lodging this winter."

Somewhat embarrassed the boy struggled in her arms and mumbled something about not being able to breathe. "Kin," he called out as his sister ruffled his hair teasingly. "I could use some help here."

The feline gave a low growl, then decided that he had done more than enough to help his young master, and went back to leisurely cleaning his large paws with his tongue.

#####

"Your Highness!" Moving his twin swords aside with his left hand, the tall dark-haired man went down on one knee in front of the king. "I received word that you asked to see me?"

From his position on the throne Dekim Barton gazed down at the knight. For a brief moment, his eyes fell upon the two deadly blades, and he wondered why the guards didn't disarm the man before allowing him to enter the throne room. But then again, Odin Lowe was not one easily separated from his weapons, he reckoned.

"Rise, Lord Odin," he said, his voice calm and deep. "It has been a long time, has it not?"

"Indeed," the other man confirmed as he rose to his feet. He straightened his weapon belt and looked around. Not much had changed since the last time he stood in front of the throne. Therewas of course **one** difference; back then Octavius was still king.

His gaze fell upon the heavy gold woven tapestry behind the throne and his trained eyes noticed the slightest movements; indicating that they weren't as alone in the room as it seemed.

"Truth be told…," the king spoke again. "We had expected to see you at our brother's funeral, my lord."

"My apologies," Odin replied with a respectful indication of the bow. "I had… business to tend to in the far north of Lhankor when I got word of his passing; too far away to reach the capital in time for the ceremony."

"Business for Octavius, we presume?" Dekim asked, and when that other man did not answer he continued, "Lord Odin, we know that our brother thought highly of you and your… expertise. He considered you one of his most trusted supporters. We can only hope that now we will be receiving the same support and loyalty from you."

"Your Majesty, I assure you… no, I guarantee that you will find my loyalties have and, always will, lie with Lhankor."

There was a brief moment of silence before Dekim put on an almost forced smile. "That is good to know, Lord Odin. Now to a very different matter…Word has it you are not traveling alone these days. Out of pure curiosity, is the boy your son?"

"Who knows?" the dark-haired knight replied evasively was a nonchalant shrug. "I would like to think of him as an apprentice of sorts."

"An apprentice?" The king echoed. "Interesting. Well, we are sure that there are many things he can learn from you. But of course, you know what they say don't you? 'It takes a village to raise a child.' Perhaps the Royal Academy would be more suitable place for him…"

"I appreciate the generous offer, your Majesty, but I assure you I am more than capable of providing the boy with anything he needs right now."

"We were in no way trying to imply that you could not, Lord Odin. We apologize if we have offended you."

"No offense taken, Your Majesty." Odin replied curtly.

"Well then, you had a long trip and must be exhausted. We will have someone show you to your quarters."

"Thank you, but that will not be necessary. Unless there is anything else to discuss, I shall be on my way again."

"Very well, but at least tell us how and where to find you if need be."

"Do not worry, if need be **I** will find **you**, Your Majesty?" With a curt nod, and the suggestion of a bow Odin Lowe turned on his heel and walked out of the room.

No sooner than the heavy doors to the throne room had closed behind the dark-haired knight, the tapestry behind the king's throne was moved aside to reveal a large hidden alcove in the wall. A man clad in dark robes, with a pointy nose and shoulder-long white hair stepped out of the shadows.

"I do not trust him."

"Neither do I." The king turned his head to face his advisor. "He is dangerous, very dangerous."

"Do you truly believe the lad who is traveling with him is Octavius' son?"

Dekim gave a short, humorless laugh. "That would be just like my brother; leaving his own successor in the care of his personal assassin."

#####

"Are you certain you will be fine?" Treize eyed the boy warily as Wufei slipped off the wide four-poster bed and crouched down to put on his shoes. "You know, it would really be no problem whatsoever for Zechs or myself to carry you."

"That will not be necessary. I can walk, really." The mere thought of being carried around like a little babe sent a slight hue of crimson into Wufei's cheeks.

The king remained skeptical. "No more dizziness?" he asked. "I just do not want you to faint again."

"I am feeling perfectly fine." Wufei assured him. "And it is only a short walk."

"The boy is right, you know." Zechs, who had entered the room just moments before, agreed. "It is not like he will be going on a long hike; just downstairs and to the carriage. Which is… coincidentally… ready and waiting for you, Your Highness."

"Very well then," Treize finally sighed in defeat, realizing that he was outnumbered. "Let us be sure to not leave anything behind, shall we." As they left the room and started toward the stairs he turned toward his bodyguard. "By the way, do you know if Bast has returned from the little…errand I sent him on?"

"I have not seen him," Zechs replied. "But even if he does not get back by the time we leave, he should catch up with us soon."

For a moment Wufei wondered what kind of errand the king was talking about but he did not dare ask about it.

A small crowd had gathered outside the Inn when the king and his ward stepped onto the street. Just as he had at their arrival Zechs ushered them into the waiting carriage without delay. He signaled for the driver to get moving as soon as the doors had closed. Although they were traveling in the heart of Galados, there was always a small possibility that someone could try to assassinate his Highness, and as far as he was concerned a target in motion was much harder to hit than a stationary object.

Treize closed the curtains and yawned behind his hand as he made himself comfortable for the long drive. "I think I will try to get a little more sleep. Perhaps you should too."

"But I have been sleeping all morning," the boy pointed out.

"True enough," the king agreed, stifling another yawn. He pulled his cloak tightly around himself, propped one of the overstuffed seat cushions against the wall and leaned his head against it.

Wufei watched him for a few moments but quickly became bored. He pulled out the book, he had started to read the other day, from the compartment beneath the seat and moved the curtains on the left side just far enough to allow a ray of light to reach his book without bothering the sleeping king.

For a long time it was very quiet inside the carriage; the silence interrupted occasionally by the sound of a page being flipped. After what seemed like forever to the boy, Treize stirred, opening one of his eyes lazily. "What are you reading?" he asked, his voice still heavy with sleep.

"A book about the Dragon Alliance; Headmistress Une gave it to me before we left the Shrine."

"And…?" the king asked, finally opening his other eye as well. "Is it any good?"

"Uh huh," Wufei nodded enthusiastically. "I never knew that there were seven kingdoms in the Dragon Alliance at one time."

"Ah, right." Treize stretched as he straightened up and put the cushion back down on the seat next to him. "Rhoswen left the Alliance soon after the Great War due to some disagreements between its king and the other Dragon Knights."

"What kind of disagreements?"

"I am not quite sure, really. I'm afraid it was a little before my time."

"More than just a little," the boy chuckled. The war against Romefeller, or the Great War as it was called, was fought several millennia ago. Not even a Dragon Knight livea **that** long.

"Let's get some light in here, shall we."

The king pulled open the curtain at the window on the left while Wufei did the same on the other side. In the distance the boy could see the outer walls of a town. It was small compared to Thiria, he realized the moment they passed through the heavy gates. The roads were narrow and dirty were in Thiria they had been wide and paved with cobblestones. The only tavern Wufei could see looked so run down that Zechs wouldn't even consider stopping there for supper; even so the sun was already starting to set. Instead they traveled for several more miles before reaching a large clearing near the road.

As the carriage came to a halt Wufei could hear Zechs bark out orders, telling some of the men to set up camp and others to take the horses down to a nearby stream. Curiously he stuck his head out of the window, and then looked back over his shoulder at Treize. "Are we going to spend the night here?"

"That is correct." The king nodded. "And tomorrow…tomorrow we will reach the capital."

#####

Night had long fallen and the forest was illuminated only by the pale light of a sickle moon when Odin Lowe reached the campsite where he had left his… apprentice to wait for his return.

A fire was burning, a large pot bubbling above it and his pack-horse, a dun mare, was grazing beneath the tree she was tethered to. But there was no sign of the boy. Dark eyes narrowed, the knight checked his surroundings warily as he dismounted. His gaze once again went to the crackling fire. The flames had barely touched the top logs, a sign that someone had added the wood only a short time ago.

He took one guarded step then another. A slight snapping sound alerted him but he had barely time to reach for his weapon before a shadow detached itself from the tree above him. The impact knocked the dark-haired man onto his back, and the rough blade of a wooden sword was pressed against his throat almost simultaneously. Holding the sword and kneeling above him was a boy, about ten or eleven years of age with dark unruly hair. The boy didn't speak but there was something like a triumphant glint in his blue eyes.

Odin snorted. He pulled up his legs and shoved the lad away. As he pushed himself up from the ground and jumped to his feet while pulling the longer one of his two swords at the same moment.

Scrambling backward the boy held up his own weapon in defense just as the hark-haired man swung at him. But the razor-sharp blade cut through the wood like a knife through butter and Heero was left with little more than the hilt in his hand.

With another snort Odin sheathed his weapon and turned away. "Did I not tell to you to never attack someone, unless you are willing to kill him?"

"Yes, Sir." Heero replied quietly as he got to his feet, brushing away dirt and pine needles from his clothes.

His guardian walked over to the fire without another word, looked into the bubbling pot and began to stir it.

"You checked the traps we set yesterday?" he finally asked with a look over his shoulder.

The boy nodded as he stepped closer. "Yes, Sir."

A deer had gotten itself caught in one of them. The buck was already dead by the time he had found it. After skinning and cutting it into pieces just the way he had been taught, he had taken enough meat to last them for a day or two back to their camp, leaving the rest behind for the wild animals.

"Seems to be ready, let's eat." Odin cursed quietly when he burned his tongue trying to taste the stew.

The boy grabbed a couple of wooden bowls from one of their packs and handed them off to the older man to be filled. He settled down by the fire, his bowl in his lap, and for the longest time nobody spoke a word.

The dark-haired knight eventually looked up and through the flames at Heero. "You are not even going to ask me why I went to the Royal Palace today?"

"If it is something I should know, I am sure you would have told me."

Odin gave a little grunt and shook his head. "You are a strange kid, you know that?" he announced, earning himself a questioning look from his companion. "Ah, I almost forgot…" He put down his bowl, rose to his feet and walked to where his mount was grazing. "Here, catch," he called out as he pulled a cloth-wrapped package from the saddlebag.

Heero nearly spilled his stew as he jumped up but he managed to grab hold of the bundle before it could fall to the ground. "For me?" He frowned in a mixture of surprise and amazement.

"Are you not at least going to open it?" Odin asked when the boy just stood there.

"Ah, right." He quickly ripped away the wrappings, and his jaw nearly dropped at the sight of a sword encased in a leather scabbard. Both, the weapon itself and its scabbard were plain looking and devoid of any engravings or decorations, but to Heero it was the most beautiful sword he had ever seen. "For me?" he asked once again.

"You are getting a little too old to play around with wooden sticks, don't you think?" Odon replied in his usual indifferent way. "Now, do not just stand there. Pull it out! Let's see how you can handle it."

* * *

><p>T.B.C.<p>

Author's Note: In addition to writing I have been playing around with my legos lately. In fact I'm creating some MOCs (MyOwnCreations) based on Dragon King. It will probably take as long to complete as the story will take to write. For the moment I have about half of the Capital of Galados build along with several of the characters.

Unfortunately doesn't allow me to post links inside the story, but you can find a link in my bios page if you would like to check out my creations. Let me know what you think.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

A big Thank You to KT who is taking time out of her busy schedule to help me proofread this story.

**windwraith: **Thank you for your review (you seem to be the only one leaving feedback these days). I am glad you like the characters and Heero's introduction. Hopefully you will also enjoy the 'presentation' of the last GW boy, who should make his appearance very soon.  
>As for Odin Lowe. I always liked him. He is a very mysterious and elusive man, but hopefully he will stick around for at least a while in this story :)<p>

* * *

><p><strong>The Dragon King<strong>

**Book 1- Of New Kings and New Friends**

**Chapter 12**

"Wake up…Wufei, wake up!"

The boy moaned in protest and grabbed his blanket tighter when someone tried to pull it away from him. At the king's insistence he had spent the night inside the carriage, where it was warmer, even though everyone else, including his Highness himself, had been sleeping outside by the fire.

"Come on, wake up now."

"Why?" Wufei finally sat up and rubbed his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing at all," Treize assured him. "Just hurry up, get dressed."

His cloak and shoes were shoved toward him and Wufei had barely enough time to put them on before he was grabbed by the arm and pulled out of the coach. It was still dark, the sun had not even begun to rise yet, and aside from a few guards most everyone in the camp was asleep. At the edge of the clearing Zechs seemed to be waiting for them. The blond dragon knight had his stallion as well as two more saddled mounts with him.

"I' m sorry but we do not have much time," Treize apologized as he ushered the boy toward the horses. "I nearly overslept myself."

"Time for what?" Wufei asked, still sleepy and confused.

"There is something I want you to see. But if we do not hurry we might miss it."

The lad allowed himself to be hoisted into the saddle. He yawned and tried hard not to fall asleep while he followed the king and his bodyguard up a slightly sloped and winding mountain trail. It was a relatively short ride. Soon the three riders reached a large plateau that ended in a rather steep drop. By now the sun was beginning to rise, painting the first streaks of orange and gold onto the otherwise gray morning sky. Zechs stopped his mount near the cliff and both, the king and Wufei came to a halt beside him.

"Look down!" Treize told the boy as he gestured over the edge.

Wufei complied and his yaw nearly dropped. In the valley below, spreading out as far as the eye could see, lay what was easily the largest town he had ever seen.

"Is that Altea?" Wufei wanted to know.

"Indeed," the king confirmed. "What do you think?"

"It is…It is so…," the boy trailed off, unable to put his amazement into words. He had never seen anything like it. He counted no less than three…no four outer curtain walls, each taller than the previous one to allow archers to shoot over their comrades' heads in case of an attack. A wide moat seemed to stretch around the entire town, and Wufei could see guard towers right and left of the large main gate. And from the center of Altea, set upon a hill, arose the Royal Palace with its mighty towers, halls and white walls, almost like a town in itself.

While they were watching, the first rays of sunlight began to move over the city and the castle, bathing the rooftops in a soft glow that made them look like they were made of gold.

"Magnificent, is it not?" Zechs remarked quietly.

Unable to rip his gaze from the beautiful sight Wufei could only nod. There was one thing though that he didn't quite understand. "We are so close to town; we could have easily reached the palace last night, could we not?"

"We could have," the king confirmed with a nod. "But then we would not have seen this." He smiled softly as he looked at the lad then turned his gaze upon the city and his palace. He could still recall the awe and wonder that had filled him the first time he stood here.  
>He might have been Wufei's age, perhaps a year younger, when he made his very first trip to the capital. It was a long and exhausting ride. Most of the details about it had long since slipped his mind. but the one thing he would always remember was standing here, on this ridge, next to his father watching the sun rise over the royal palace.<p>

#

As soon as the royal carriage approached the castle four blue and gray dragon flags were raised over the main towers, announcing to everyone who didn't already know, that his Majesty the King had returned safely. The heavy gate groaned in its hinges as it slowly opened up before them. The possession crossed a wide stone bridge, passed through the first gate, the outer ward and finally a second gate before pulling into the castle's spacious inner yard.

The place was no less crowded and noisy than Altea's people-lined streets. Every person in the entire palace seemed to have gathered to witness the king's return and pay their respects. Wufei's head was spinning from all the excitement, but deep in the pit of his stomach he felt an uncomfortable churning.

From what the king had told him, Galados was not ruled just by him alone. There were ministers and advisors who discussed and approved most if not all decisions that were made. _What if_, the boy thought_, those advisors or ministers don't like the idea of me staying in the Royal Palace? What if they decide to send me back to the Dragon Shrine? Does his Highness have the power to tell them 'no'? I really don't want to go back. _

The carriage came to a hold and Wufei gave a deep sigh that earned him a surprised look from the king.

"Is something the matter?"

"Nothing," the boy replied quietly, but he could not even look up.

Treize shook his head and reached out. Laying his fingers beneath Wufei's chin, he tilted the tan face towards his own. "Whatever it is," he spoke softly, "you have nothing to worry about. Trust me, you will be fine. The palace is large and noisy, but you will get used to it." He lowered his hand and patted the boy's shoulder reassuringly. "Just stay beside me and everything will be fine."

The king waited for Zechs to dismount and open the carriage door for him. His feet had barely touched the ground when he was already approached by no less than half a dozen people. Instinctively Wufei stayed in the background between the two dragon knights, but nobody even seemed to pay any attention to him.

"Your Highness, a dragon courier arrived from Danbar. It must be an important message, because he had orders to wait for an answer…."

"Your Majesty, I need your signature on the work orders for the new levee or we might not be able to finish the construction before the first rainfall…."

"If I may have a word with you, your Highness, we really need to…"

Treize finally raised his hand to stop the onslaught. "Enough!" he demanded firmly, and instantly everyone fell silent. "We will listen to each and every one of you. But first things first... Is my bath ready?"

"Yes, your Highness," a female voice, coming from somewhere in the background, replied.

"Excellent!" the king looked rather pleased as he gazed over his shoulder at the boy. "Come on, Wufei; a good soak to wash of the dirt of the road will feel wonderful right now. You will join us, Zechs, will you not?"

#

Wufei couldn't help but feel overwhelmed, even intimidated by the sheer size of the castle. As he followed the King through a labyrinth of corridors and stairwells he was sure that he, should he ever get lost here, would never find his way out again. Zechs had excused himself, stating that he wanted to make sure their horses were well taken care of before joining them in the bath. It was obvious that both, he and the king, cared very much for their stallions.

The boy had to hurry not to fall behind, but still he could not stop himself from letting his gaze wander. Columns and pillars were decorated with dragon heads, and even the ceiling above depicted battle scenes and fighting dragons. Beautifully crafted tapestries and paintings lined the walls, and the windows were framed by heavy velvet drapes.

"Almost there," Treize declared as they headed down yet another short flight of stairs.

The Royal Bath was located directly beneath the great hall; a smart approach by the castle's architect, for the heat from the bath kept the hall warm during winter.

Two soldiers standing guard in the corridor snapped instinctively to attention when they saw the king approaching.

"At ease!" Treize stopped and waited for the guards to open the double-wide door.

A quiet gasp of awe escaped Wufei as he followed the king cautiously into the bath. The floor was made of polished marble, and so was the large oval pool that was set into the ground. The entire room was immersed in a soft light that seemed to come not from torches or candles but from the ceiling itself. The sparkling luster seemed somewhat familiar.

"Glowworms?" The lad gave Treize a surprised look.

"Indeed," the king confirmed. "Somehow the man who built this bath managed to create perfect living conditions for them. He covered the ceiling in crystals taken from one of their caves, and brought in a handful of worms. They have been growing and multiplying ever since," he explained.

Suddenly a small door opened to Wufei's left and half a dozen servants, female servants no less, walked into the room carrying towels and baskets with soaps and oils. They curtsied respectfully and set down the towels and baskets on what looked like a small marble bench or table near the pool.

"Would His Majesty and the Young Master like help with their robes?" one of the young women asked.

Treize gazed at his ward and fought down an amused smirk at the boy's positively terrified face. "Thank you, we will be fine," he replied politely. "You may leave. All of you."

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

With another curtsy the sextet shuffled out of the bath and Wufei let out a silent sigh of relief. But even as the door had closed behind them and the king started to disrobe he still stood there frozen, as though some part of him feared that the maids might return.

Treize looked down at him as he dropped his belt to the ground and started to undo the clasps on his tunic. "Well," he asked. "What are you waiting for? The water is not getting any warmer, you know. Unless of course…," he added with a smirk, "you would prefer to have someone helping you. I always can call the servants back if you like."

"No! I'm perfectly capable of undressing myself."

Wufei scowled when he realized that he was being teased. With a huff he turned his back toward the king, slipped off his shoes and slowly took off his clothes. Behind his back he could hear Treize chuckle. Then there was the sound of splashing water as the tawny-haired man stepped into the pool. By the time the boy was completely undressed Treize was already sitting, fully submerged, in the warm water. He was leaning against the pool wall with his eyes closed and the back of his head resting against a soft towel that he had pulled from the stack on the bench. Only after entering the pool himself Wufei did notice several seat-like indentations in the walls. He settled down in one of them, watching Treize for a few moments quietly.

The king looked completely at ease. Remembering their arrival at the castle and how he had been besieged by his officials almost instantly, Wufei wondered if it was a luxury for Treize to relax like this. "I never realized how many responsibilities a king has."

"Yes well," Treize opened his eyes and looked at him. "It is no child's play, but it has its good moments too," he admitted. "I was fortunate enough to 'inherit' a number of very competent officials from my successor. In addition I was able to handpick a few of my most loyal supporters and put them into crucial positions; which makes life a whole lot easier for me."

_Most loyal supporters…He must be talking about people like Zechs_, Wufei mused but before he was able to ask about it the door opened once again and the blond dragon knight stepped into the bath.

Treize turned his head to look at him. "What took you?"

"I was unfortunate enough to run into Minister Ventuno on my way to the stable."

"Ouch!" the king grimaced, and then facing Wufei he explained. "Ventuno is probably one of most capable officials, but he just does not stop talking."

Zechs huffed as he kicked off his boots. "The man does not even take a breath long enough for you to interrupt him once he gets started."

"What did he want? But please…give me the short version."

"Essentially he just wanted me to remind you of the audience with you he has scheduled for tomorrow. He seems convinced that you have been trying to avoid him."

"The audience…ah, yes, that is right."

"You forgot, did you not?" Zechs accused.

"Of course not." Treize insisted with all the seriousness he could master. "In fact I have been thinking about nothing else all morning."

"You have been sleeping all morning." Wufei pointed out.

"I was not sleeping," the king replied. "I was simply keeping my eyes closed to better concentrate."

"You were snoring."

"I beg your pardon? I **do not** snore."

"But you did."

"Did not. And besides," Treize glared at the boy playfully. "Whose side are you on anyway?"

"I did not realize I was supposed to choose sides."

Zechs was laughing when he walked into the water and settled down next to the older man. "You told him to be frank and honest, did you not?"

"Yes, but right now he is just being cheeky."

Wufei couldn't help but smile. Somehow all his uncertainties seemed to be melting away_. I think his Highness is right; I'll do just fine here. _

#####

"Your Majesty?"

"What is it, Quinze?" Dekim Barton never even turned his head when his advisor walked into the room. He was standing by the window, watching a group of soldiers sparring at the training grounds.

"I just received word that the men you sent to shadow Odin Lowe have been found with their throats slashed, just outside of the capital."

"All four of them? Does that mean we lost his trail again?"

"I am afraid so, Your Highness."

There was a brief moment of silence as Dekim fought to control his irritation. "Very well." He finally turned. "There is nothing that can be done about that now."

"Do you want me to send out more men to look for him?"

"No!" The king shook his head. "We will deal with that once we have actually decided what we will do with the boy. You may leave now."

The other man hesitated.

"Or is there anything else?"

"In fact, there is, Your Highness," Quinze replied. "A messenger arrived from Narath. Apparently Princes Artan and Calum never arrived at the Emirate. Would you like me to handle it?"

"No, I shall meet with him myself. After all, if something happened to my nephews I would want to do whatever it takes to help find them." Dekim replied. His face turned grim as he added. "Even if they decided to abandoned their own kingdom in favor of Narath."

"As you wish, Your Highness." Quinze bowed. "I'll prepare everything for a meeting."

#####

"Hello… is anybody here?" The king held his step at the door to the Star Diviner's study at the top floor of the south tower. The room looked like a hoard of marauding trolls had just made their way through it. Books and scrolls were lying everywhere. The large desk was cluttered with tools and star maps; and suddenly behind it a head popped up from amidst the chaos.

"Your Majesty? What brings you to my humble dwelling?"

The man's appearance matched the strangeness of his name; 'S' who had ever heard of a name made up of a single letter. His hair looked like it had never made the acquaintance of a comb or brush, and from his face protruded a slightly large, fake nose, held in place by two leather bands. Rumor had it that he had lost his real nose in his youth, while experimenting with alchemy.

S had been working as head star diviner at the royal palace in Lhankor for many years. After king Octavius death however he left the kingdom. Well aware of his talent and capabilities Treize had jumped at the opportunity and offered him the same position in Galados.

"I have something for you; something I picked up on my way home from the Dragon Shrine," the king explained while he unwrapped the magnificently decorated dagger he had acquired at the market.

The other man raised one eyebrow in surprise as he looked at the weapon. "With all due respect, Your Majesty. This appears to be a more appropriate gift for a warrior. I'm afraid I do not have much use for a knife like that."

"It was not really meant as a gift." Treize replied. "I want you to examine the weapon. I want to know anything and everything about it."

"Oh?" S exclaimed as he finally reached for the dagger. He turned it around in his hand, checking it from every side. "It looks quite ordinary, what is wrong with it?" he wanted to know.

"That is what I am hoping you will be able to find out."

The star diviner listened with interest as the king told him the story of how Wufei had collapsed after touching the knife. "Fascinating!" He once more turned the dagger over to study it carefully. "I wonder what could have caused it?"

"So do I."

"The handle seems to be made from some kind of bone, but it looks unlike any bone I have seen before. I will have to run tests…lots of tests…lots of work…" he grumbled even as his eyes lit up like those of a child who had gotten into the honey pot. "It will take time."

Treize nodded understandingly. "You have all the time you need. I expect a thorough report."

"Absolutely, Your Highness, absolutely. I will get on it right away, but you will have to excuse me…" With that S ushered the other man to the door. "Not to be impolite or anything, but I work best when left alone. It is been a pleasure seeing you, Your Highness. Please visit again. Perhaps when I have more time we can have tea together or something. Good bye for now!"

Treize blinked in bewilderment as he found himself in the hallway and the door to the star diviner's study closed in his face. He couldn't even remember the last time he had been thrown out of…anywhere. _What just happened?_

####

The heavy gates to the royal city of Gathar were already open when the three riders approached from the desert. The day was still young but the streets and the bazaar was crowded with people trying to do their shopping before the heat of the day made it unbearable.

Ahmad tugged at his mount's reins until he was riding beside the prince. "We will be taking our leave now."

Quatre nodded. The royal palace with its tall towers and round roofs lay directly ahead. "Tell Rashid I will be waiting for word from him. If there is any news from Artan and Calum I would like to know."

"Of course, my Prince."

He said good bye to his companions then clicked his tongue and prodded Asad to move. So close to home the stallion needed little encouragement, falling easily into a slow trot.

The palace guards, recognizing the prince, hurried to open the gates as he approached. Quatre passed the men with a friendly nod and headed directly toward the stable where he handed the mount off to one of the grooms.

"Will you make sure he gets a good brush down?"

The young man nodded. "I will see to it at once, Prince Quatre," he promised.

"Thank you."

On his way through the courtyard Quatre ran into his sister Izza. She was the oldest of the princesses and had been taking care of the royal household for as long as he could remember.

"There you are." She greeted him. "Father has been looking for you."

"Oh? What does he want?"

"You should ask him." His sister shrugged. "And while you at it, find out if he will be eating with us today. I need to know if I should have a place set for him at the table."

"Ten to one he won't. But I will ask," Quatre promised.

#

On his way to see his father he stopped at his own quarters just long enough to wash the sand from his skin and change from his dusty riding pants into something a little more befitting for a crown prince.

The palace was large but the Emir, being a man of routines, was never difficult to find. Following the morning assembly with his advisors in the main hall he would retreat to his private study either alone or with one of his scribes to work through piles of papers that needed to be signed and approved.

Zaheed was reading through one of the tax reports when he was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Come in!" He demanded, his eyes never leaving the paper.

The sound of the door opening was followed by familiar footsteps and he recognized his visitor even before Quatre spoke.

"You wanted to see me, Father?"

Zaheed finally looked up. "Where have you been?"

"I took Asad out for a ride."

"For two days?"

"It was a long ride."

"Don't get cheeky, it doesn't befit you," his father admonished sternly. "I believe I asked you not to leave the palace alone. It is dangerous."

The prince felt the urge to point out that an unarmed guard did not offer much protection if someone was really out to harm him. But he bit his tongue answering instead: " I wasn't alone. Ahmad and Hassan were with me. You can ask them if you wish."

"Ahmad and Hassan," the Emir echoed. "I take it they told you then? "

"If you are talking about Calum and his brother... Yes, I heard that they disappeared on the way here. But how do you know? Has Rashid returned already? "

"He sent word by messenger. From what I understand he is traveling to Lhankor himself." There was a pause before Zaheed spoke again. "Perhaps the princes and their entourage were simple slowed by bad weather, or they decided on a detour."

The words were meant as encouragement for his son. Quatre and Artan had always been the best of friends. Which was one of the reasons he, the Emir, had invited the princes to live is Narath after their father's death.

"Yes, perhaps." Quatre nodded but somehow did not sound too convinced.

"I know you are worried, but I believe it is too early to fear the worst. Nevertheless, I have sent a messenger to the royal palace in Lhankor to ask for assistance."

"Ask King Dekim for help?" The prince almost snorted. "Would that not be like asking the fox to guard the henhouse?"

"Quatre!" His father snapped. "What are you suggesting?"

"It is far beyond a mere suggestion Father. I am certain you have heard people whisper, too. Even though nobody dares to speak it aloud... King Dekim had his brother killed to take the throne. Who is to say he would not also try to get rid of his nephews?"

"I am not one to believe in rumors and idle chit chat. And neither should you, Quatre. If there is any ounce of proof to this... this accusation I would like to see it."

"King Octavius was not that old," Quatre pointed out.

"He became ill. That happens, even to dragon knights. We are not invincible, you know."

"But he was a picture of good health the last time I remember seeing him."..."

"Enough! I want to hear no more of this, do you understand me? Now go! I believe your tutors have been looking for you as well."

"Yes Father. But before I leave Izza wanted me to ask if she should have the table set for you today?"

There was a moment of hesitation before the Emir shook his head. "I am quite busy today. I shall have one of the servants bring me my meal."

Quatre sighed, even so he hasn't really expected a different answer. "You do realize that Narath will not fall apart just because you spend a few hours with your family, do you not?"

"Some day you might understand. Now go!"

"Yes, Sir."

On his way back to the courtyard as Quatre rounded a corner he nearly collided with Halif, the boy who was somewhat between an apprentice and an errand boy for the royal healer.

Halif jumped aside, somehow managing to not spill the drink he was carrying.

"Please forgive me, Your Highness, I wasn't watching where I was going."

"No, it was my fault, too," Quatre smiled. "Father's morning tea, I assume? " he added with a nod toward the cup in the boy's hand.

"Indeed," the young apprentice confirmed.

"I wonder what is in it anyway? Father has been drinking it almost religiously every morning now, and somehow he always seems a bit less grumpy afterward."

"I wouldn't know, Your Highness. Master Basir is very secretive about it. He always brews it himself and he grows the ingredients in a part of the garden I'm not even allowed to enter."

"Perhaps he is afraid you might run off with the recipe and make a fortune selling it," Quatre jested. "But you better be off now, Father's mood is bad enough he might chew your head off if his tea is cold by the time he gets it."

"I hope not." Halif replied with a little smile. "But I shall hurry."

"Just try not to run into any more people," Quatre called after him in good humor. then as he continued on his way he turned serious again. In spite of his father's words he could not help but worry about Artan and his younger brother.

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><p>T.B.C.<p>

Author's Note: Alright, that's it. We have finally arrived at the end of the last re-written chapter of Dragon King. Chapter 13, which is going out to the proofreader later on today in case you are wondering, will be completely new.

Thanks for reading, and if you find the time please leave a few words of feedback to let me know how I am doing.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

A big Thank You to KT who is taking time out of her busy schedule to help me proofread this story.

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><p><strong>The Dragon King<strong>

**Book 1- Of New Kings and New Friends**

**Chapter 13**

"Is this where the royal court meets?" Wufei asked gesturing toward the large stained glass windows of the great hall in the main structure of the royal palace.

"That's right." Zechs confirmed.

"So that's where the king is right now?"

_He'd better be. _

After their bath and a quick but scrumptious meal, Treize had left the young dragon prodigy in the care of his bodyguard while he, as he put it, had to attend to matters of state. Zechs knew better than to voice his discontent about the assignment, but instead decided to make the best out of it by showing the boy around the palace, especially the royal residence and gardens so that, if need be, he could find his way around on his own.

"There is nothing wrong with asking one of the guards for directions," he had told Wufei. "But there is always _someone,_ who thinks of himself as a jester, that might send you on a wild goose chase."

The gardens were beautiful, especially at this time of the year when the air was filled with the smell of sweet flowers and the sounds of countless birds. As they crossed one of the ornate wooden bridges the boy stopped for a few moments and leaned over the side to watch the gold and silver koi fish swimming in the pond below. "They are beautiful."

"They sure are." Zechs held his step and joined Wufei. "I believe the fish were a present from the former ruler of Beregoth to the late king who had admired them at a visit to the royal gardens there." Crossing his arms, he propped his elbows onto the wooden parapet as he stared into the water below. For a long time neither he nor the boy spoke, until the sounds of approaching footsteps interrupted the peaceful tranquility.

"My Lord?"

The dragon knight turned his head, looking back over his shoulder. "Ah Otto, what is it?"

"His Majesty sent me to relieve you. He asked for you to meet him outside the royal court."

"Thank you." Zechs nodded, and then directed at the boy he added. "Wufei, this is Otto, a member of the king's personal guard…" _Which apparently has become your personal guard as well. _"Otto, this is Wufei."

"Well met, young Master Wufei." The tall, curly haired man gave the boy a friendly nod and Wufei returned the gesture.

"Nice to meet you too, Sir Otto."

"I was showing Wufei the grounds. When he gets tired escort him to his quarters," Zechs instructed the other man before he walked away.

"Well then…" Otto gazed down at the boy beside him. "What would you like me to show you next?"

"Hmm…" The boy thought about it for a few moments. "The archives," he finally decided. "The king told me there are more books stored at the archives than any human can possibly read in a lifetime. I want to see it for myself."

The royal guard nodded. "Very well, shall we go then?"

As they headed toward the archives, located just east of the royal residence, Wufei looked up at the tall man. "Sir Otto, may I ask you a question?"

"You can drop the 'Sir' and just call me Otto. But go ahead, ask."

"The crest on your scabbard and your uniform looks a bit different from the royal crest of Galados. I noticed Instructor Noin and Lord Zechs wearing the same insignia…"

"Ah yes, you are quite observant." The man seemed impressed. "This emblem is a combination of the crests of Galados and Sanq. It symbolizes that, although we are serving a new king now, we still are loyal to our homeland."

"So you are from Sanq, too? Did you come to Galados together with Instructor Noin and Lord Zechs?"

"No," Otto shook his head. "I'm not sure about those two, but I didn't actually meet them until they entered the Dragon Shrine. Noin and Zechs trained in the same age group, I was their senior by two years."

Wufei had already another question on his tongue – for some reason he never seemed to run out of them – but the noise of flapping wings above their heads distracted him. Shielding his eyes from the sun with one hand the boy squinted into the sky and watched a large grayish dragon pass over them. "Another dragon knight."

"Actually that's a dragon messenger," his companion corrected.

"There is a difference?"

"Messengers usually aren't trained for battle. Their dragons are smaller in size and wouldn't stand much of a chance in a fight, but in comparison they have larger wings, which allow them to fly long distances without resting."

"Where do you think it is flying to?" Wufei asked as he watched dragon and rider slowly fade in the distance.

"Home, I assume. This one hails from Beregoth."

"How can you tell?"

Otto smiled softly. "I know because I was on duty when they arrived this morning. But you can also tell from the colors of the trappings the dragon is wearing."

"How long do you think it will take them to get back to Beregoth?" the boy asked as they continued their walk.

"With Shenlong's grace they'll probably reach the border by nightfall tomorrow," the guard replied with a little shrug. "And from there it is little more than another day's travel. Like I said, messengers are chosen for their dragon's ability to fly long distances. A lowland dragon probably would take twice as long to reach their goal."

"Lord Zechs was right."

"About what?" Otto asked curiously.

"Dragon knights have to know a lot about dragons. **I** barely know anything yet."

The dark-haired man laughed, it was a soft reassuring sound. "I wouldn't worry too much about it. You'll have a lot of time and opportunity to learn. I have a feeling His Majesty will make sure of that." He held his step, prodding the boy lightly with his elbow. "Well, here we are; the Archive. What do you think; is it big enough for you?"

The building was easily the largest Wufei had seen, stretching out along the wall that divided the royal residence from the more public areas of the palace. It was two stories high, build on a solid stone foundation. Perhaps the king was not jesting after all, when he claimed it contained a copy of every book ever written.

"Do you think we are allowed to go in?" The boy gave the tall man a hopeful look.

Otto almost gave an amused huff. "You are the king's ward, Young Master. I don't believe there are too many things you are **not** allowed to do, here at the royal palace."

###

"Heero, take care of the horses and then meet me inside," Odin Lowe instructed as he reined his mount to a halt in front of a small inn at the outskirts of Talys, a town at the foothills of the Gra mountain range that separated the kingdoms of Lhankor, Galados and Narath.

Odin was riding Dex, his grey gelding while the boy was following him on the pack horse, as usually. With a silent nod of acknowledgement, Heero slipped off the steed's broad back and adjusted his sword belt as he waited for his guardian to dismount as well. Since the day he received it the weapon had never left his side, being kept in arm's reach even when he was sleeping.

From across the dusty street a group of kids watched the unusual pair curiously. Heero paid them little attention as he led the horses into the small stables next to the tavern. He watered, then fed them oats from their own supplies before giving them a quick rub down with a bundle of bunched up straw. As usual he started with Odin's mount, eliciting a jealous snort from Kiba. The dun mare even nipped at the boy as he passed her, and Heero gave an amused huff.

"Be patient, you will get your turn." He slipped her a piece of dry bread and patted the white mark on her large forehead before he went on with his work.

By the time the boy had finished the chore and walked into the tavern Odin was sitting at a table in the back of the room.

"You hungry?" his guardian asked as he waved for the innkeeper even before Heero could answer. He ordered a slap of boar's roast with carrots and parsnip roots for the boy and a refill on his ale for himself.

Heero was starving after a long day of traveling, and the roast smelled delicious. The vegetables however, he wasn't so sure about. He never really liked the taste of parsnip. Or perhaps it was because in the very back of his mind he had memories of his mother cooking them for him, mashed with just a little bit of sweet butter because that was the only way he'd eat them.

As usually Odin spoke little during their meal. While drinking his dark ale he was always keeping an eye on the door, as though he was expecting someone. The boy's gaze went to the window. Outside the children were playing chase and catch. He watched their game for a few moments, and as he turned his head he noticed Odin looking at him.

"Would you like to go and join them?"

"I'm fine." Heero stared down at his plate as he cut off a big piece of meat. His guardian gave what sounded almost like an amused huff, and he wondered if he had said something funny. The boy didn't ask thought, but finished his meal in silence.

The innkeeper came to pick up the empty dishes, and Odin asked for yet another glass of ale. He paid for the order, but before he put away his money bag he pulled out a small silver coin and handed it to the boy.

"Go check out the town, have some fun. But be back before sundown"

Heero frowned slightly as his hand closed around the money.

"What is it?"

"You said you were going to show me how to sharpen my sword."

"Maybe later. Now go." his guardian promised. "Wait. Leave that with me." He gestured at the boy's sword belt. "You won't be needing it while we are in town."

"But…" Heero swallowed the rest of his protest and nodded as he started to remove the belt. "Yes, Sir."

Odin's eyes went to the door again, and the boy was certain now that he was waiting for someone. This was probably also the reason why his guardian wanted him out of the way. As Heero was leaving the inn he nearly collided with a tall, bearded man wearing a long hooded cloak. As they brushed against one another in the door the cape moved a little, and for a brief moment the boy could see what looked like a short curved sword or dagger on the stranger's belt.

Walking down the dusty road Heero threw a quick look through the window into the tavern. And sure enough, the stranger had headed directly for Odin's table and was sitting now with his back toward the window, across from his guardian. The table was too far away for him to hear what the two men were talking about, and so, after watching them for a few more moments the boy strolled off, down the road and toward the market place.

###

"Where have you been, it's late? We'll have to prepare for the evening show soon." Catherine asked as her brother entered the small trailer the two siblings were sharing.

"I took Kin and K'ri out into the woods. They haven't had a chance to stretch their legs in days."

"Be careful, Triton," his sister warned. "You know people get scared seeing them run free."

"I know, I know." The boy replied as he stepped over to a bucket of water in the corner to wash his hands.

"You missed supper. I saved you some leftovers; are you hungry?"

"Starving," Triton admitted. He took a seat at the small wooden fold out table by the window and waited for his sister to dish up his food.

"Its vegetable stew and baked cod," she said as she put a bowl and a plate in front of him. "There is also leftover fish for the cats tonight."

"Thanks," Triton looked up with a soft smile. He knew how hard it could be to buy enough food for the two saber cats. "Can we afford it?"

"Don't worry about it." Catherine reached out to ruffle her brother's hair as she settled down at the table across from him. "The fish dealer still had a lot of stock left when he was closing; he gave me a good price for the whole load. Besides, with that travel pass we got from the king we will be able to play in larger cities and make more money this summer. Now eat, the food will get cold."

After a few bites from his stew the boy looked up again. "It's good," he remarked, and then as he looked at his sister closer he added. "You are wearing Mother's earrings."

"Does it bother you?"

"No no," Triton quickly shook his head. It had been almost three summers since their mother's passing and Catherine had barely ever touched her things. "It's just that I have never before seen you wear them. They look beautiful on you. You should use them all the time."

His sister smiled softly. "I don't know about that. I'd be afraid of losing them."

"Were they really a gift to mother from King Octavius?" Triton had heard about it but wasn't sure if the story was true.

"That's right," Catherine nodded. "The king loved our performances, and especially Mother's dance I believe. He would never miss a show when we came to the capital, and afterward he often would visit her at our trailer. One time…" She couldn't help but laugh at the memory. "…You must have been two or three years old at the time, you climbed onto his lap as you always liked to do, and took off his crown and put it onto your head. It was so big it fell right over your eyes. But King Octavian laughed and said 'That boy has ambitions already, I see.'"

Triton frowned, somewhat embarrassed. "Did I really? I don't remember any of it."

"Yes, you probably were too young. Well, time for me to get changed for the show. You'd better eat up and get ready too." Walking into the back Catherine pulled the curtains that divided the sleeping area from the rest of the trailer close behind her and took out the earrings. As she returned them to the little jewelry box at the bottom of the chest where she was keeping all of their late mother's belongings, her eyes fell onto another, somewhat larger carved wooden box. Shortly before her death their mother had given that box to her, asking Catherine to safeguard it until Triton was old enough. Old enough for what, she was not quite sure. But just as she had promised, Catherine had kept the box hidden away and unopened for the past three years.

###

With his hands buried deep in his pockets he strolled down the dusty alley, faking disinterest, even as he was watching the marketplace like a fox. A hungry fox, to be precise. He hadn't eaten all day and his stomach was growling. The smell of different foods hanging in the air didn't make it any easier. But he knew he had to be careful. Most vendors were cautious enough to keep an eye on their goods. But then he saw his chance when a farmer who was selling fruits and vegetables from the back of his wagon, turned his back toward him to talk to a customer.

Quick as an attacking snake Duo struck. He jumped forward grabbed two apples from a wooden crate, one in each hand, and was running down the street before the poor farmer knew what had happened.

But when the man realized that he had been robbed he started yelling and shaking his fist as he ran after him.

"Stop him! Someone stop that little thief."

Duo tried to dash around a corner when he suddenly and painfully collided with a tall figure. A strong hand grabbed the boy's arm.

Seeing the sword on the man's belt Duo's brain instantly screamed 'city guard'. He tried to struggle free, but the grip never loosened.

"There you are!" A calm voice said. "Did you find what I sent you for? Well, let's see." With those words the man took one of the apples from the bewildered boy's hand, studied it for a moment and then took a large bite out of it. He chewed the fruit well before nodding in apparent approval. "Not bad, not bad at all," he declared before taking another bite.

Meanwhile the farmer had caught up with them. Somewhat puzzled he looked at the boy, then at the armed stranger and finally back at Duo.

"He is with you?"

"Why yes, of course. Are you the one selling these delicious apples, good man?" The man asked as he handed the farmer the half-eaten fruit. "We will take three dozen, but make it fast. I have to leave soon. And I will need something to carry them in."

"Three... Dozen?" The farmers eyes lit up at the prospect of such a large sale so late in the day. "Of course, right away."

As he hurried away to fill the order the stranger finally released Duos arm. But only to grab him by the neck of his washed out black shirt and drag him back toward the fruit stand.

"Let... go... of... me..." Duo struggled to free himself.

"Shut up!" The man with the dark, mussed hair hissed. "Unless you want to attract the attention of the city guard."

The boy huffed but ceased his struggle for the moment.

The farmer had put the apples into a well used wicker basket. "That will be half a gul, my Lord, including the basket," he demanded.

"Fair enough." The stranger handed the fruit off to Duo while he paid for the purchase then grabbed the boy by the collar again, dragging him along as he left the market place.

Only when he felt they were far enough he finally released Duo.

"Here!" He declared as he took the basket and handed the lad a couple of apples. "Next time, try not to steal. If they catch you, you might get a good beating or worse. Besides, that farmer works hard to feed his family, too."

"Whatever. What do you care." Duo snorted as he took off.

"And you are welcome, too." The man called after him.

Brows narrowed the boy grumbled something under his breath, then hungrily started to devour his loot. _Weird guy! Who does he think he is, some kind of saint?_

###

The sun was already setting when Heero returned to the Inn. Odin Lowe was still sitting at the table as he had been when he had left, but the bearded stranger was gone by now.

"What did you buy?" The knight asked when he noticed the boy was carrying a small package.

Slipping into the seat across from Lowe Heero put the package on the table and opened it to reveal a small bottle and a piece of soft deer skin leather.

A weapon polishing kit. Odin almost huffed in amusement. _I should have known._ Any other child would probably have spent his money on honey drops or candied fruit.

"The dealer said the oil is the best one can find. He imports it all the way from Beregoth. And feel how soft the leather is," Heero said.

His guardian nodded. "I will show you how to use it," he promised.

"Will we be leaving soon? Should I get the horses ready, Sir? "

"No need. Our plans have changed. We will be spending the night. I already paid for the room and had our things brought upstairs. Tomorrow I'll have some errands for you to run."

"Yes, sir." The lad nodded seriously but didn't ask what kind of errands it would be.

Odin Lowe emptied the last of the ale from his mug, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Well then," he said as he rose from his chair. "Should we go take care of our weapons?"

The boys eyes lit up and he jumped to his feet in an instant. "Yes Sir!"

###

As the sun set the temperatures began dropping. Duo pulled up his shoulders and shivered as he approached the abandoned old farmhouse a few miles outside of town. It was a broken down place without window panes or furnishings, but at least it still had a semi-intact roof.

He had eaten one of his apples and saved the second one to eat later. The fruit had stilled the worst of his hunger but didn't fill his stomach completely. But tomorrow was another day. Maybe he might get lucky and would be able to snatch something better to eat. Or perhaps someone would give him some odd jobs or errands to run and pay him with a meal. Tonight however he was just too tired to care.

As he approached the house the boy suddenly stopped in his track. Someone had been here. He was quite sure that he had secured the door when he had left this morning. The door was old and broken in one hinge. He used a large rock to keep it from opening on its own, but now it was only ajar, like someone had moved that rock but not bothered replacing it.

Duo drew slowly closer. There was no light inside the house and through the broken windows he could see no movement.

In spite of his best effort the broken door squeaked quietly as the lad pushed it open. Still, everything stayed quiet inside the house. Duo was beginning to think that he might have forgotten to secure the door when he had left when his food bumped against a large bundle on the ground, directly by the door.

As his eyes started to adjust to the darkness he could make out what looked like leather trappings and a enormous saddle. It seemed too large to fit any horse he had ever seen, including those huge draft horses they used up north to transport stone and marble from the rock quarries.

The lad was still trying to imagine how large a creature would fit a saddle like that when he suddenly heard a sound from outside. He jerked around...and froze in terror. In front of him, no more than a few feet away, stood a dragon, easily the size of ten draft horses. Or at least that's how it appeared to the startled boy.

Duo had never seen a dragon this close. He swallowed as he tried to remember what he knew about the creatures. Do dragons eat humans? Or was that only a myth made up to frighten children? He wasn't sure he wanted to find out.

The creature took one step toward him and Duo's breath caught in his throat; his mouth suddenly as dry as sagebrush at the end of a scorching summer.

The creature was too large to fit through the door, but Duo was quite sure it could simply, and without much effort, break it down along with the rest of the house if it wanted to. His mind screamed for him to turn and run but his legs felt like lead, unable to move.

For a moment that seemed like forever both dragon and human just eyed one another. Then the beast took one more step.

_He is going to eat me!_ The lad though and somehow he mustered the courage to speak. "You know," he said, his voice trembling. "I'm really not much more than skin and bones, not worth the effort, trust me. There is prey much more suitable out in the woods; deer as big as cows and juicy wild pigs..."

The dragon gave a sound that seemed almost like an amused snort. But suddenly its large nostrils flared and it raised its nose slightly as though it was smelling the air. Moments later its large head pushed through the door and the creature started to sniff the boy's face.

Duo closed his eyes, convinced he was going to be devoured any moment now, then jerked them open again as something warm and moist touched his hand. The dragon was licking him, his tongue long and dark in color almost like that of a cow. _Is he tasting me?_

Suddenly the creatures attention seemed to be drawn to the apple Duo was carrying in his pants. Quickly and almost instinctively the boy covered the pocket with his hand. "Hey, that's my breakfast!"

Almost as in surprise the dragon drew away, crooking his head slightly like a dog would do. It was almost comical and Duo relaxed a little. _Maybe he is not going to eat me after all._

The creature looked at him for a moment before attempting again to reach the sweet smelling fruit with his long slender tongue.

The boy sighed. "It really was supposed to be my breakfast, you know. But if you are that hungry, I suppose we could share it."

###

By the time he left town, the apples in his basket were in the company of a loaf of crusty bread, some onions and a thick slab of salted and cured bacon. He headed down the dusty, overgrown road toward the old farmhouse where he had left his companion.

Bolt was a strange creature to say the least. Who had ever heard of a dragon that preferred the human world to his own realm and returned home only occasionally to hunt. And not to mention a dragon that loved apples more than anything. He could still remember the time when Bolt got into an orchard, devouring nearly the entire crop, and then was sick for the next three days. Never mind what it had cost him to repay the farmer for his damaged and uprooted trees.

All in all Bolt seemed to enjoy human company while he... well let's just say he wasn't called Solo because of his social nature. He wasn't sure who was responsible for pairing up a human with its dragon half. But apparently even the gods seemed to possess a strange king of humor, on occasion.

Finally he reached the old farmhouse where he had left his companion to wait. After all he couldn't just walk through the towns gate with a dragon following him like a puppy dog. Solo raised his fingers to his lips and whistled, surprised when Bolt didn't come to greet him. Alright, so he had been gone a bit longer than usual, stopping at the tavern for a pint of ale and a few games of dice, but he surely wasn't going to be pouting about that, was he?

"Bolt!"

There was a noise to his left and then he saw him curled up with his wings tugged in like he had already been sleeping.

"Did I wake..."

The dragon made another sound: the clicking chirp he usually gave when he was trying to warn him of wild beasts and predators. But it made no sense. If there truly was danger nearby he would never stay so relaxed.

But suddenly the knight noticed something...someone curled up beneath the dragons large wings, and he realized Bolt was not warning him but telling him to be quiet.

He frowned as he recognized the sleeping figure. _It's the kid from the marketplace. What in Shenlong's name is he doing out here?_

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><p>T.B.C.<p>

Author's Note: Alright, that took a lot longer than I had planned. But here we are chapter 13 done.

Thanks for reading, and if you find the time please leave a few words of feedback to let me know how I am doing.


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